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£ihvavy  of  Che  trheolo^icd  ^tmimvy 

PRINCETON  •  NEW  JERSEY 
PRESENTED  BY 

Rufus  H.  LeFevre 


JLjL^ 


*«►• 


4 


AUTOBIOGRAPH^y^Y  '^ 


OF   THE 


REY.  SAMUEL  HUBER, 

ELDER  IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  THE 

UNITED  BRETHREN  IN  CHRIST: 

C0NTAININ6  SKETCHES  OF  HIS  LIFE,  AND  RELIGIOUS  EXPERIENCE ; 

ILLUSTRATED  WITH  DEEPLY  INTERESTING  AND  AFFECTING 

FACTS  AND  INCIDENTS,  SHOWING  FORTH  THE  WORK 

OF  GOD  IN  THE  CONVERSION  OF  SOULS,  &C.,  &C. 

EDITED  BY  JOHN  DENIG, 

AUTHOR  OF  THE  "MOURNERS'  BENCH,"  &C. 


"  The  Lord  hath  brought  forth  our  righteousness  :  come  and 
let  us  declare  in  Zion  the  work  of  the  Lord  our  God." 

Jeremiah  51 :  1. 


CHAMBERSBURG,  PA: 

PRINTED    BY   M.    KIEFFER   &    CO. 

1858. 


Entered  according  to  the  Act  of  Congress,  in  tlie  year  1858,  by 
John  Denig,  in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the 
United  States  for  the  Eastern  District  of  Pennsylvania. 


For  sale,  wholesale  and  retail,  by  John  Denig, 
Superintending  Agent.  Price  per  single  copy,  68f 
cents.  For  73  cents,  one  copy  will  be  sent  by 
mail,  post  paid,  to  any  address  in  the  United  States. 
A  discount  to  Agents. 

Address  JOHN  DEISTIG,  care  of  J.  E.  Kirby, 
Chambersburg,  Franklin  county,  Pa. 

Eemittances  can  be  made  by  postage  stamps. 


PREFACE. 


For  some  years  past,  I  liave  been  frequently  im- 
portuned to  publish  my  life  and  experience  as  a 
preacher  of  the  Gospel.     But,  inasmuch  as  I  did  not 
think  that  the  events  of  my  life  were  such  as  to 
warrant  their  publication  to  the  world,  in  book 
form,  I  declined  to  yield  to  this  solicitation  until 
within  a  short  time  prior  to  the  date  of  this  work. 
The  repeated  requests  of  my  friends  have  at  length 
prevailed,  and  I  Lave  consented  to  publish  such 
matters  connected  with  the  first  pioneer  preachers 
of  the  Church  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ,  as 
came  within  my  own  observation,  hearing  and  ex- 
perience, and  which  are  set  forth  in  the  following 
pages. 

I  am  fully  aware,  that  my  productions  will  not 
suit  the  fastidious  tastes  of  some  of  the  more  high- 
ly educated  preachers  and  people;  still,  as  mankind 
differ  much  in  taste  and  mind,  some  of  them  may 
be  benefited  by  reading  these  imperfect  sketches. 
It  must  be  borne  in  mind,  that,  in  my  youth,  the 
facilities  for  acquiring  an  education  were  not  so 
abundant  as  they  are  now.  Our  scholarship  then, 
was  in  German.    Dil worth  and  the  Bible  were  our 


VT  PREFACE. 

with  attention,  and  by  that  means,  become  an  in- 
strument to  promote  the  cause  of  God.  To  this 
end,  I  have  introduced  into  it  deeply  interesting 
facts  and  aifecting  incidents,  well  calculated  to  im- 
press the  heart  and  produce  emotions  of  a  spiritual 
nature.  If,  however,  I  have,  in  any  degree,  neces- 
sarily hit  a  little,  be  assured  it  is  done  from  the  best 
of  motives,  and  with  the  kindest  of  feelings.  I 
cherish  no  ill  will  towards  any  being  on  earth,  and 
as  my  earthly  race  is  fast  drawing  to  a  close,  I  wish 
to  leave  the  world  in  peace  and  good  will  towards 
all  men.  At  the  same  time,  I  ask  the  indulgence 
of  my  readers  with  regard  to  the  errors  of  this 
work,  and  desire  the  forgiveness  of  God  and  of 
mankind,  for  the  errors  of  my  past  life.  I  also 
earnestly  request  the  prayers  of  the  Church,  so  that, 
after  I  take  my  departure  from  this  life,  I  may 
meet  many  of  those  in  whose  conversion  I  was 
made  instrumental,  together  with  all  my  faithful 
brethren  in  the  ministry  and  in  the  Church,  around 
the  throne  above,  there  to  ascribe  the  victory  and 
glory  of  our  salvation  to  God  and  to  the  Lamb 
throughout  eternity. 

SAMUEL  HUBEE. 
Rocky  Spring,  March  1st,  1858. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PAGE. 

Parentage  and  Early  Life — First  United  Brethren 
Preachers — A  Vision — First  Marriage — Horse  Racing — 
Convictions — Conversion.  9 

CHAPTER  II. 

Commenced  to  hold  Religious  Meetings — My  brothers 
Benjamin  and  Abraham's  Conversions-— Revivals  near 
Rocky  Spring.  24 

CHAPTER  III, 

First  United  Brethren  Camp  Meeting — First  attempt  to 
Preach — A  boaster  cut  down — A  cross  woman  converted.      37 
CHAPTER  IV. 

Curious  Experience  about  two  Beardy  Men — Tuckaho 
Valley — Preaching  to  a  wedding  party — Several  of  tliem 
got  converted.  44 

CHAPTER  V. 

A  Preacher  dropped  into  a  hogshead — Artificial  Figure 
converted — Brother  J.  Ptussel  dodging  in  time  of  meeting 
— Three  men  struck  to  the  ground — Ordination.  53 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Great  Camp  Meeting  in  Virginia — Spiritually  blind  prac- 
titioners in  Theology — A  preacher  bit  by  a  snake — Fall 
of  a  tree  top  on  Camp  ground — Narrow  escape — Disserta- 
tion thereon — An  English  Catholic  young  woman  who  did 
not  understand  German,  got  religion  under  German 
preaching.  62 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Camp  Meeting  on  Overcash's  ground — Fetterhoff's 
Chapel — Funkstown — Revival  at  Plough's  School  house — 
Camp  Meeting  near  Boonsboro',  Md. — Became  powerless 
— Fell  down  on  the  stand — A  false  report — Incident  in  the 
Rev.  S.  Enterline's  life.  81 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

First  United  Brethren  preaching  in  Chambersburg,  Pa. 
— Great  revival  in  Otterbein's  church — Roman  Catholics 
converted — A  converted  Roman  Catholic  Priest — The  old 
church.  91 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Bush  meeting — Camp  meetings  in  York  and  Lancaster 
counties,  Pa. — Rum,  cake,  and  beer  Trafflcers  expelled 
from  the  latter.  106 


VIII  CONTENTS. 

fCHAPTER  X.  PAGE. 

Curious  notions  about  external  postures  when  seeking 
religion — Preaching  in  Lebanon  county — New  Franklin, 
Botler's  school  house — Prayer  in  a  tavern — Wagoners 
scared  off  by  it.  115 

CHAPTER  XL 

Camp  Meeting — A  man  rose  up  in  time  of  exhortation 
and  shook  his  fists  at  me — A  fracas  with  the  preachers — 
A  lad  driven  from  his  father's  house  for  praying — Preach- 
ers making  supper  on  apples — First  United  Brethren 
preaching  in  Greencastle,  Pa. — A  Universalist  cut  u^?  un- 
der Wm,  R.  Rinehart's  preaching — A  dust  with  Roman 
Catholics — Preaching  in  McConnelsburg — Little  Cove.  125 
CHAPTER  XII. 

First  big  meetig  at  Daniel  Rosenberger's,  Horse  Valley 
— Baptism — A  young  woman  supposed  to  have  been  drowned 
through  immersion  ;  rose  up  shouting — Delegate  to  Gener- 
al Conference — Trip  to  and  attendance  upon  it.  147 
CHAPTER  XIII." 

Affecting  Scene — First  big  meeting  at  Daniel  Whisler's, 
Cumberland  County,    Pa. — Meetings  in  the  Dutch  Settle- 
ment— Tom     Paine   ousted — Religious   Experiences — Ot- 
terbein  preaching — Father  Geisseman's  death — Rowdies  at 
a  Camp  meeting.  157 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Visiting  the  sick — Ordered  out  of  the  house  at  the  time 
of  prayer — Camp  meeting  on  Middlecauff's  land — A  son 
of  Belial  cast  out.  1 73 

CHAPTER  XV. 

My  great  affliction — Funeral  sermon  preached  before  I 
was  dead— Deaths  of  my  daughter  Elizabeth,  Son  Solomon, 
and  First  wife  Nancy.  187 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Mother  Senseny's  conversion — Two  Angels — Manner  in 
which  United  Brethren  big  meetings  were  first  held — Sta- 
tistics of  the  United  Brethren  Church — Four  children  got 
religion  by  themselves.  209 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

D.  Funkhouser's  Experience — A  sinner  converted  on  the 
day  he  became  one  hundred  years  old — Old  fashioned 
preachers  compared  with  the  present  ones — Conclusion.       225 


AIJTOBIOaRAPHY, 


CHAPTER  I. 

PARENTAGE   AND   EARLY   LIFE — EIRST   UNITED  BRETH- 
REN   PREACHERS. 

According  to  the  most  *correct  information  I 
can  obtain,  my  Grand  Father,  Christian  Huber, 
emigrated  from  the  Palatinate,  in  Germany,  be- 
tween the  years  1727  and  1736.  He  settled  near 
JS'ew  Holland,  Lancaster  county,  Pa.,  from 
whence  my  father,  John  Huber,  moved  to  the 
Rocky  Spring,  Franklin  county,  Pa.,  at  the  time 
the  Indians  lived  near  the  I^orth  Mountain. 

At  one  time  during  the  Revolutionary  war, 
my  father  hauled  a  load  of  wheat  from  his  farm 
to  N^ewport,  near  Philadelphia,  where  he  sold 
it.  On  his  return  homeward  through  Shippens- 
burg,  an  American  recruiting  officer  took  pas- 
sage in  his  wagon  to  Chambersburg.  When 
they  came  to  Col.  Crawford's  farm  at  the  Cono- 
cocheague  creek,  the  officer  handed  him  a 
written  paper.  After  reading  it,  he  threw  it 
away,  upon  which  the  officer  clapped  him  upon 
the  shoulder,  saying,  "  I  have  pressed  you  for 
2 


10  ,  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

the  army.  You  are  my  soldier."  My  father 
expostulated  with  him  against  the  impropriety 
of  his  conduct,  as  it  was  not  lawful  to  impress 
men  in  that  way.  The  officer  said  :  "You  must 
either  go  with  me,  or  pay  so  much  money."  In 
order  to  get  clear,  he  gave  him  all  the  money 
he  had,  went  home,  and  told  the  circumstance 
to  his  neighbors,  Messrs.  Grove,  Burkholder, 
Culbertson,  and  others. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  officer  went  to  Cham- 
bersburg,  and  took  up  his  quarters  in  the  house 
standing  on  the  corner  of  Main  and  King  streets, 
which  was  then  kept  as  a  tavern,  and  for  many 
years  after  that,  was  occupied  by  Peter  Cook. 
The  idea  of  a  man  being  robbed  in  that  way  by 
an  American  officer,  did  not  correspond  with  the 
notions  of  "  liberty  "  these  cultivators  of  the  soil 
entertained  at  the  time.  Therefore,  very  soon, 
thirty  or  forty  of  them  collected  together,  armed 
themselves  with  guns,  pitch  forks,  axes,  and 
other  implements  of  destruction,  and  went  to 
Chambersburg.  It  was  in  the  night.  They 
surrounded  the  tavern.  The  officer  was  in  bed 
quietly  snoosing  at  the  time.  One  of  the  party 
fired  a  bullet  into  the  gable  end  of  the  house, 
which  awoke  and  alarmed  him.  He  sprang 
out  of  bed,  and,  in  his  haste  to  escape,  came 


REV.    SAMUEL    IIUBER.  11 

running  down  stairs  in  Ins  sliirt,  holding  his 
pants  in  his  hands.  He  was  soon  arrested, 
and  returned  to  my  father  his  money.  He  was 
then  placed  in  irons  and  sent  to  the  Carlisle 
jail,  which  was  the  last  my  father  heard  of  him. 

I  was  born  January  31st,  1782.  My  parents 
w^ere  members  of  the  Mennonite  Society.  Be- 
fore the  United  Brethren  in  Christ  preached  in 
our  parts,  my  father's  house  was  the  regular 
place  for  Mennonite  preaching.  After  the  United 
Brethren  preachers  began  to  preach  the  Gospel 
here,  the  Mennonite  preachers  ceased  to  preach 
at  my  father's  house.  The  first  United  Breth- 
ren preachers,  who  came  amongst  us,  were 
William  Otterbein,  George  A.  Guething,  Mar- 
tin Boehm,  Christian  I^ewcomer,  Joseph  Hoff- 
man, John  Neiding,  Martin  Crider,  Abraham 
Draksel,  Christopher  Grosh,  Phelix  Light, 
Christian  Smith,  Mr.  Zentmire,  with  a  few 
others.  These  were  the  pioneers  of  the  United 
Brethren  in  our  parts. 

This  was  the  only  preaching  place  for  our 
Brethren  between  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  and  Hagers- 
town,  Md.,  as  father  ]^ewcomer  frequently  told 
us.  Times  w^ere  not  then  as  they  now  are,  re- 
specting stopping  places  for  preachers.  'Now 
a  days,  preachers  can  make  apj)ointments  with- 


12  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

in  a  few  hours'  travel  of  each  other.  At  the 
time  alhided  to,  they  had  frequently  to  travel 
from  forty  to  sixty  miles,  to  reach  an  appoint- 
ment, and  that,  without  even  having  accommo- 
dations for  man  or  horse,  excepting  at  taverns. 
It  was  not,  however,  hecause  there  was  not  suffi- 
cient provisions  in  the  country  to  entertain  trav- 
elers, that  they  had  no  stopping  places.  The 
reason  that  people  refused  to  give  those  preach- 
ers entertainment,  was :  They  were  looked  upon 
as  false  prophets,  deceivers,  and  bewitchers  of 
the  people. 

Such  indeed  was  the  ignorance,  superstition, 
and  blindness  of  the  people,  upon  the  subject 
of  true  religion,  that  they  were  afraid  to  enter- 
tain a  preacher  of  this  sort,  fearing,  that  if  once 
in  the  house,  he  would  bewitch  the  whole  fam- 
ily, and  in  many  instances,  refusing  to  shake 
hands  with  them,  for  fear  of  becoming  spell 
bound.  But,  as  the  preaching  of  these  false 
prophets,  so  called,  tended  to  create  an  excite- 
ment upon  the  public  mind,  different  in  its 
effects,  from  that  powerless  moral  Theology,  so 
prevalent  in  that  dark  age,  curiosity  frequently 
led  people  out  to  hear  what  these  "  babblers  " 
had  to  say  ;  and  those  preachers,  having  been 
brought  out  of  their  old  nests  [religious  dogmas), 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  13 

through  the  power  of  God's  converting  grace, 
their  preaching  took  deep  root,  and  produced 
results  such  as  always  attend  a  ministry  second- 
ed by  the  Spirit  of  God." 

At  one  time,  near  the  Kocky  Spring,  at  fath-     ^ 

er  Boehm's  appointment,  a  certain  Mr.  W , 

being  anxious  to  hear  what  this  false  prophet 
had  to  say,  after  many  foreboding  fears  upon 
the  subject,  at  length  took  courage  to  go  and 
hear  him.  Such,  however,  was  his  apprehen- 
sion of  evil,  lest  he  should  become  spell  hound 
and  bewitched  by  the  preacher,  that,  with  great 
caution,  betook  his  seat  behind  the  door,  think- 
ing, no  doubt,  should  he  feel  the  moving  of  the 
spell  upon  him,  he  could  make  a  rapid  egress 
before  he  would  be  completely  bound  up. 
Whilst  hearing  the  word  preached,  he  thought 
the  whole  discourse  was  directed  to  him  alone. 
He  also  afterward  blamed  my  father  for  telling 
the  preacher  all  about  him,  although  my  father 
had  not  spoken  to  him  upon  the  subject.  But 
such  were  the  effects  of  God's  word  upon  his 
heart,  that  he  became  deeply  concerned  for  the 
salvation  of  his  soul.  His  convictions  increased 
during  some  months.  In  the  fall,  he  had  ne- 
glected to  haul  in  his  fire  wood,  and  so  was  un- 
prepared for  winter.  A  heavy  snow  had  fallen. 
While  pondering  over  his  situation,  it  was  sug- 


14  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF 

gested  to  his  mind  that,  as  he  had  not  made 
preparation  for  cold  weather,  even  so  he  was 
also  unprepared  to  meet  death.  His  convic- 
tions hecame  deeper.  Feeling  his  wretched 
condition,  he  fell  upon  his  knees,  and  wrestled 
with  God  until  he  found  peace  to  his  soul ;  and 
afterwards  his  wife,  and  five  children,  also  em- 
braced religion.  Five  of  the  family  have  since 
passed  over  Jordan.  The  remaining  two  are 
still  on  their  way  to  Zion,  giving  thanks  to  God 
for  having  sent  those  loonderful  preachers  into 
their  neighborhood.  This  is  what  was  called 
bewitching  the  people  in  those  days.  Such  was 
the  ignorance  and  prejudice  of  the  times. 

It  was  through  the  preaching  of  these  men, 
who  travelled  and  preached  at  their  own  ex- 
pense, preaching  Christ  crucified,  that  I  first 
became  alarmed  in  consequence  of  my  sins,  and 
future  state.  When  about  thirteen  years  of  age, 
under  the  preaching  of  Rev.  Joseph  Hofi:man,  I 
became  more  deeply  convinced  of  "  sin,  right- 
eousness, and  of  a  judgment  to  come."  Then 
I  prayed  to  God  at  times,  but  was  in  a  great 
measure  carried  off  from  Him  through  the  follies 
of  youth.  My  convictions,  however,  did  not 
leave  me  altogether.  Sometimes  I  would  pray 
and  then  sin  again. 

At  another  time,  under  father  Newcomer's 


KEV.  SAMUEL  HUBER.  15 

preaching,  God  sent  another  arrow  home  to  my 
heart.  I  felt  awful.  The  thoughts  of  death 
and  judgment  produced  alarming  emotions  in 
my  soul.  These  emotions  again,  in  a  great 
measure,  wore  off'.  Fondness  for  youthful  com- 
pany repeatedly  drowned  them.  Sometimes  I 
would  leave  off"  my  company,  resolving  never 
to  sin  again,  and  lead  a  new  life.  But  I  was 
bound  fast  by  the  chains  of  sin.  I  had  no  peace 
of  soul.  Although  I  was  not  habituated  to  the 
use  of  profane  language,  yet  I  was  fond  of 
worldly  and  sinful  company  and  pleasures ;  and, 
by  this  means,  I  was  prevented  from  seeking 
the  Lord  with  all  my  heart.  In  this  state  of 
mind  I  continued  to  grow  up  to  manhood.  My 
life  and  experience  corresponded  with  that  of 
the  poet,  when  he  said  : 

'•Now  I  repent  and  sin  again, 
Now  I  revive  and  now  I'm  slain, 
Slain  with  the  same  unhappy  dart, 
Which  0,  too  often  wounds  my  heart." 

At  one  time,  during  my  convictions,  there 
was  presented  to  my  mind,  in  a  vision,  a  view 
of  heaven  and  of  hell.  I  thought  I  saw  heaven 
in  its  beauty.  I  beheld  the  saints,  clothed  in 
white  raiment,  in  a  state  of  inexpressible  hap- 
piness. They  appeared  to  be  standing  in  ex- 
tended rows,  with  uplifted  hands  praising  God. 
There  was  an  appearance  similar  to  a  flight  of 


16  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

stairs.  The  older  saints  were  on  the  top,  while 
the  younger  ones  were  standing  on  the  lower 
steps  ;  the  whole  presenting  a  scene  of  beauty 
and  happiness  beyond  description.  There  ap- 
peared to  be  two  ways  or  roads,  the  one  leading 
to  a  state  of  bliss,  and  the  other  down  to  a  bot- 
tomless pit.  As  the  righteous  passed  by  me, 
they  went  into  the  society  of  the  just.  As  the 
wicked  came  on,  they  turned  to  the  left.  Their 
movements  were  as  vivid  as  lightning,  and  they 
plunged  into  a  pit  of  darkness.  I  looked  down 
into  the  pit,  and  saw  them  in  extreme  torment, 
being  in  constant  agitation  and  misery.  They 
appeared  like  a  den  of  serpents,  crawling  over 
and  around  each  other.  Their  condition  seem- 
ed horrible  in  the  extreme,  being  in  torments, 
cursing  each  other,  and  blaspheming  the  name 
of  God.  Deep  groans  and  lamentations  were 
heard  in  tones  of  wo  !  wo  !  wo  !  in  consequence 
of  their  having  rejected  the  Gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ.  This  vision  made  a  deep  impression  on 
my  mind,  respecting  the  future  state. 

In  the  year  1805,  about  the  twenty-fourth 
year  of  my  age,  I  went  to  Winchester,  Virgin- 
ia, where  I  formed  an  acquaintance  with  Miss 
IN'ancy  Weaver,  daughter  of  Mr.  Abraham 
Weaver,  residing  near  that  place,  and  to  whom 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  17 

I  was  married  on  the  10th  day  of  June,  1806, 
by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hill,  Presbyterian  minister  at 
Winchester. 

During  my  stay  in  Virginia,  I  became  addict- 
ed to  horse-racing.  To  such  an  extent  was  this 
the  case,  that  I  was  drawn  away  by  that  kind  of 
sport,  in  the  face  of  all  considerations  against 
it.  My  convictions  and  religious  impressions 
were  nearly  overcome  by  such  worldly  amuse- 
ments. After  some  time  I  removed  back  to 
Rocky  Spring  ;  but  such  was  my  propensity  for 
horse-racing,  that,  on  pretext  of  visiting  my 
father-in-law  in  Virginia,  during  horse-racing 
times,  1  went  there  three  years  in  succession 
to  the  races.  Strange  to  say,  notwithstanding 
all  the  operations  of  God's  Spirit  upon  my  heart, 
I  yet  took  delight  in  spending  my  time  in  such 
places,  where  the  devil  has  full  sway.  Gamb- 
ling, drinking,  cursing,  swearing,  fighting,  are 
the  characteristics  of  the  field,  carried  out  to 
their  full  extent.  Here  the  devil  reigns  tri- 
umphantly. Under  the  influence  of  intoxica- 
ting drinks,  and  even  without  that,  men's 
minds  are  subverted  and  brought  to  submit  to, 
and  practice  all  manner  of  evil.  "  Wo  to  the 
wicked,  for  it  shall  be  ill  with  them." 

In  the  fourth  year  of  my  horse-racing  career? 


18  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

I  Lad  attended  the  races  near  Chambersburg 
for  two  days.  On  the  morning  of  the  third  day 
as  I  was  leaving  home  for  the  race  ground,  my 
wife  asked  me: 

"  Are  you  going  to  the  races?"     I  replied, 

"  Yes,  I  am."     She  responded, 

''Don't  you  know  that  Joseph  Hoffman  is  to 
preach  at  your  mother's  house  to  day?"  I 
answered, 

''  Yes  !  I  do  know.  You  may  go  to  the  meet- 
ing ;  but  I  will  go  to  the  races."  With  tears  in 
her  eyes,  she  rejoined, 

"  If  you  go  on  in  this  way,  you  will  become 
a  ruined  man,  body  and  soul." 

This  rebuke,  coming  from  a  beloved  wife, 
who  then  had  no  religion,  but  otherwise  was  of 
good  moral  character,  sent  daggers  into  my 
heart,  causing  very  uneasy  feelings.  However, 
I  went.  When  I  came  to  my  mother's  house 
on  my  way,  she  enquired  of  me : 

"  W^here  are  you  going  ?"     I  answered, 

"  To  the  Chambersburg  races."   She  rejoined, 

"You  will  rue  that  some  day,  perhaps  when 
it  is  loo  late." 

I  kept  on  my  way.  When  about  one  mile 
from  Chambersburg,  I  met  Joseph  Hoffman. 
Fearing  a  rebuke  from  him,  I  gave  my  horse 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  19 

the  whip,  turning  my  face  in  an  opposite  direc- 
tion, thinking,  that  after  passing  him,  I  would 
be  safe.  When  I  arrived  on  the  race  ground, 
the  devil  had  his  servants  fully  at  work.  There 
was  fighting  going  on  in  full  play.  I  remained 
on  the  ground  till  towards  evening.  After 
taking  a  drink,  while  in  the  act  of  mounting 
my  horse,  like  "  Saul  of  Tarsus,"  I  was  smitten 
with  a  stroke  of  divine  power,  similar  to  a  flash 
of  lightning.  The  scales  fell  from  my  eyes. 
They  w^ere  opened.  I  saw  at  a  glance,  that  all 
these  people,  with  myself,  were  on  the  broad 
road  to  hell,  ^'  with  all  the  nations  that  forget 
God."  The  alarming  thought  of  losing  my 
soul  was  impressed  upon  my  heart  with  a  pow- 
er, Such  as  I  never  felt  before.  I  made  a  halt 
in  the  midst  of  my  mad  career — pondered — and 
resolved  to  pursue  this  course  no  longer.  In  com- 
pany with  some  of  my  comrades,  1  rode  tow^ards 
town.  Intending  to  leave  them,  I  slacked  my 
pace,  riding  somewhat  in  the  rear,  took  a  differ- 
ent route,  and  rode  home.  But  I  was  wretched, 
and  filled  with  feelings  of  remorse,  on  account 
of  the  state  of  my  soul.  I  knew  I  had  so  fre- 
quently grieved  the  Spirit  of  God,  that  I  de- 
served to  be  sent  to  hell. 

I  now  began  to  pray  and  call  upon  God  for 


20  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OP 

mercy  in  good  earnest.  It  was  suggested : 
"  You  have  sinned  so  long  against  light  and 
knowledge,  that  your  day  of  grace  is  gone.  You 
are  a  reprobate,  and  may  as  well  continue  in 
your  old  course.  There  is  no  mercy  for  you." 
But  I  continued  to  seek  God.  I  read  the  Bible 
with  eagernesa,  looking  for  some  promise  of 
mercy  there.  The  promises  to  the  penitent  I 
could  not  apply  to  myself.  Its  denunciations 
against  the  wicked  fell  heavily  upon  my  guilty 
soul.  I  could  not  believe  that  such  an  unwor- 
thy, guilty,  wretched  sinner,  as  I  felt  myself  to 
be,  could  obtain  mercy.  Still,  I  could  not  give 
up.     I  continued  to  pray. 

*'  Approach,  my  soul,  the  mercy  seat, 

Where  Jesus  answers  prayer ; 
There  humbly  fall  before  His  feet, 

For  none  can  perish  there." 

In  this  state  of  mind  and  feeling,  I  continued 
for  nearly  two  years  ;  sometimes  praying  in 
the  woods,  in  the  fields,  in  the  house ;  groan- 
ing, crying — "  chattering  like  a  swallow,  and 
moaning  like  a  dove."  My  constant  prayer 
was  :  "  Lord  save,  or  I  perish — save  or  I  sink 
into  hell."  Fully  determined  not  to  give  over 
the  conflict,  I  resolved,  that,  if  I  must  perish,  I 
would  perish  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  crying  for 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  21 

mercy  ;  and  also  determined,  at  all  events,  never 
again  to  serve  and  do  the  works  of  the  devil,  as 
I  had  formerly  done. 

In  this  unhappy  state  I  continued  until  Au- 
gust, 1813.  One  morning  I  went  out  with  the 
mowers  to  mow  grass  in  the  meadow.  After 
returning  to  the  house  for  breakfast,  I  told  the 
hands  to  go  to  work  without  me  ;  for  I  could 
not  go  with  them,  in  consequence  of  my  deeply 
excited  feelings.  I  told  them  I  thought  I  should 
not  live  much  longer ;  that  the  wrath  of  God 
was  upon  me.  My  sins,  a  burden  too  intoler- 
able to  be  borne,  felt  like  mountains  ready  to 
press  me  down.  I  spoke  from  the  depth  of  my 
heart  in  prayer  :  0  Lord,  if  thy  justice  requires 
my  damnation,  it  is  just,  and  if  I  must  perish, 
send  me  to  hell,  rather  than  permit  me  to  live 
longer  in  sin,  as  I  have  heretofore  done.  In 
this  depth  of  horror  I  cannot  live  much  longer. 
If  there  be  mercy,  for  Christ's  sake,  let  me  feel 
it ;  or  if  not,  cut  me  down  as  a  "cumberer  of 
the  ground." 

I  went  into  the  woods,  fully  resolved  to  fast 
and  pray  one  day  more.  While  I  was  walking 
in  the  woods,  bemoaning  my  wretched  condi- 
tion, in  extreme  agony,  a  voice  said  to  me  plain- 
ly, "  There  is  yet  mercy  for  you."    It  was  the 


22  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

voice  of  mercy,  in  the  distance,  portending  a 
sudden  change.  Hope  sprang  up  in  my  soul. 
I  cried  out,  "  Yes!  thank  God,  there  is  yet  mercy 
for  me.  Here,  Lord,  I  give  myself  soul  and 
body,  into  thy  hands.  Do  with  me  as  seemeth 
thee  good."  The  instant  I  thus  gave  myself  up 
to  him,  God  spoke  from  his  mercy  seat,  through 
the  "whirlwind,"  and  the  "storm."  A  ray  of 
light,  bright  as  the  sun  at  its  meridian,  vivid  as 
the  lightning  flash — powerful  as  the  arm  of  the 
Lord  revealed — shone  into  my  heart.  All  my 
horror,  guilt,  doubts,  and  fears  were  gone. 
"  Thy  sins,  which  are  many,  are  all  forgiven 
thee,"  was  spoken  to  my  heart.  Unspeakable 
joy  filled  my  soul.  The  heavens — earth — trees 
— leaves — appeared  a  new  creation.  I  went 
forth  praising  God,  adopting  the  language  of 
the  Poet : 

"  Break  forth  into  singing,  ye  trees  of  the  wood, 
Far  Jesus  has  brought "  Samuel  Huber  "to  God." 

In  this  state  of  rejoicing,  I  continued  in  the 
woods  about  four  hours.  When  I  returned  to 
the  house,  my  wife  asked  me, 

"  Where  have  you  been  so  long  ?"  I  an- 
swered, 

"  In  the  woods,  where  I  found  Him  of  whom 
Moses  in  the  law,  and  the  prophets  did  write." 

She  looked  at  me  with  surprise.    I  said, 


REV.   SAMUEL   HUBER.  23 

"  You  need  not  think  that  I  am  beside  my- 
selt.  I  feel  myself  the  happiest  man  that  ever 
lived." 

In  this  happy  state  I  continued  two  years.  I 
had  the  world  and  the  devil  completely  under 
my  feet.  The  evil  spirit  did  not  tempt  me, 
"  finding  nothing  in  me."     My  daily  song  was, 

*'  How  liappy  are  they, 

Who  their  Saviour  obey, 

And  have  laid  up  their  treasures  above." 

Sometime  after  I  had  obtained  mercy,  my 
wife  got  under  conviction  for  her  sins.  I  told 
her  to  pray  on ;  that  the  blessing  of  pardoning 
mercy  was  free  for  her  and  for  all  that  would 
repent  and  turn  to  God  ;  that  she  should  give 
up  her  soul  into  God's  hands  at  once,  and  not 
confer  with  flesh  and  blood,  &c.  She  had  been 
well  instructed  in  religious  principles.  By 
reading  "Fletcher's  Appeal,"  she  was  convinced 
that,  to  obtain  God's  mercy,  it  was  necessary  to 
give  up  the  heart  to  Him  at  once,  without  go- 
ing about  to  establish  her  own  righteousness. 
At  one  time,  in  my  absence,  while  she  w^as 
reading  in  that  work  a  case  suited  to  her  ov^n 
state,  she  dropped  the  book,  kneeled  down  to 
pray,  and  in  an  instant  her  soul  was  set  at  liber- 
ty, and  she  rejoiced  in  God  her  Saviour.     We 


24  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

now  set  out  together  in  newness  of  life,  fully 
determined,  through  grace,  to  "  spend  and  be 
spent  for  God." 


CHAPTER  n. 

COMMENCED   HOLDING  RELIGIOUS  MEETINGS. 

Having  thus  set  out  to  serve  the  Lord,  my 
conduct  and  conversation  were  different  from 
what  they  had  been,  when  I  was  a  horse  racer. 
Then,  my  theme  was  all  about  such  matters 
and  things.  I  owned  a  horse,  which  generally 
beat  the  field  in  scrub  races,  and  being  a  ring 
leader  of  the  turf,  my  conversation  and  actions 
corresponded  with  my  character.  But  now,  as 
God  had  turned  my  heart  from  nature  to  grace, 
my  thoughts,  feelings,  and  actions,  had  taken 
another  course  ;  and,  as  I  had  been  such  an  ac^ 
tive  instrument  in  doing  the  devil  service,  I 
felt  it  my  duty  to  use  all  my  powers,  soul  and 
body,  in  God's  service.  I  was  determined, 
through  grace,  to  do  the  devil  all  the  harm  I 
could,  having  bidden  him  an  everlasting  fare- 
well, by  endeavoring  to  bring  sinners  from  the 
error  of  their  ways  into  the  service  of  God.  In- 
fluenced by  such  motives,  my  conduct  was  reg- 


REV.  SAMUEL   HUBER.  25 

ulated  accordingly,  and  through  God's  blessing, 
I  was  made  insti*umental  in  doing  good  within 
the  sphere  in  which  I  moved.  There  were  sev- 
eral domestics  living  in  my  family,  two  of  whom, 
young  w^omen,  shortly  after  my  wife's  conver- 
sion, embraced  religion.  Thus  a  family,  who, 
a  short  time  before,  had  been  in  the  devil's  ser- 
vice, was  now  set  free,  moving  heavenward. 

One  Sunday  afternoon,  in  the  summer  of 
1814,  as  my  wife  and  myself  were  sitting  to- 
gether, on  the  porch  of  our  house,  there  were  a 
great  many  young  men  and  girls  spending  the 
Sabbatb  in  playful  frolics  within  sight  of  us. 
I  asked  her, 

"  Do  you  think  that  God  is  satisfied  with  us, 
sitting  here  doing  nothing  for  his  cause,  while 
so  many  are  running  to  ruin  in  the  neighbor- 
hood through  their  wickedness  ?"  She  an- 
swered, 

"What  will  we  do?  We  cannot  prevent 
them  doing  so."     I  said, 

''  If  God  spares  rae  until  to-morrow  morning, 
I  intend  to  go  to  Chambersburg  and  see  if  I  can 
get  a  converted  man  to  come  here  to  hold  meet- 
ings and  talk  to  the  people,  i  don't  want  an 
unconverted  one.  We  have  too  many  of  that 
kind  of  religionists  in  the  neighborhood  al- 
3 


26  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    QF 

ready.  "We  want  a  man  who  lias  been  con- 
verted and  enjoys  true  religion,  and  can  preach 
from  his  own  experience." 

l!^ext  morning  I  went  to  Chambersburg  and 
called  upon  brother  Jacob  Braiser,  who  then 
was  an  Elder  in  the  German  Reformed  Church, 
and  had  been  converted,  as  I  had  been  inform- 
ed. I  requested  him  to  come  and  hold  meeting 
in  my  house.  He  said  "  he  was  no  preacher, 
but  would  read  a  chapter  in  the  Bible,  sing, 
pray,  and  talk  to  the  people,  and  warn  them  to 
flee  the  wrath  to  come."  An  appointment  was 
made  for  him  to  hold  a  meeting  in  my  house, 
and  as  the  news  of  my  conversion  had,  prior  to 
this  time,  been  carried  upon  the  wings  of  the 
wind  through  the  country,  great  was  the  talk 
about  it.  Some  took  me  to  be  a  deluded  being. 
Others  looked  upon  me  as  a  well  meaning  but 
deceived  man,  bewitched  by  the  false  prophets. 
Others  enquired  about  Huber's  new  doctrines, 
of  which  the  respondents  knew  as  little  as  the 
questioners.  So  there  was  a  general  turn  out 
of  the  folks.  The  house  could  not  contain  the 
twentieth  part  of  them.  All  were  anxious  to 
see  what  this  Huber,  formerly  a  ring  leader 
among  horse  racers,  was  about  to  do,  since  he 
had  forsaken  his  former  master,  the  devil. 


REV.    SAMUEL    HUBER.  27 

Brother  Braiser  attended  the  appointment. 
He  read  part  of  the  Scriptares,  and  spoke  to  the 
people,  who  paid  great  attention  to  what  was 
said  ;  after  which    the  meeting  was    closed  ; 
many  going  away  wondering  how  these  things 
would  end.     This  was  the  first  public  religious 
meeting  held  in  my  house.     Another  appoint- 
ment was  then  made  by  brother  Braiser,  for  the 
following  Sunday,  at  10  o'clock.     In  the  inter- 
val between  these  two  meetings,  the  opinion 
had  gone  out,  that  Huber's  meetings  were  not 
so  dangerous  to  the  community,  as  was  at  first 
supposed.     A  more  favorable  opinion,  respect- 
ing my  motives,   had  obtained  among   some. 
"When  brother  Braiser  came  the  second  time,  a 
large  audience  was  in  attendance.     After  sing- 
ing and  prayer,  he  read  a  portion  of  Scripture, 
and  exhorted.     Unusual  attention  was  given  by 
the  people.     He  then  made  another  appoint- 
ment for  the  next  Sunday  evening. 

After  this  second  meeting  was  dismissed,  my 
brother,  Benjamin,  invited  me  to  his  house  the 
same  evening.  Accompanied  with  my  wife 
and  one  of  my  hired  girls,  who  had  obtained 
religion,  we  paid  him  a  visit.  On  the  way,  I 
retired  into  the  woods,  fell  upon  my  knees,  be- 
seeched  the  Lord  to  give  me  grace,  and  enlight- 


28  AUTOBTOGKAPHY    OF 

en  my  mind,  so  that  I  might  inBtruct  my  broth- 
er and  his  family. 

After  we  arrived  at  the  house,  he  interrogated 
me  respecting  my  religious  experience,  "Wheth- 
er any  particular  change  had  taken  place  in  my 
heart?" 

I  told  him,  "Yes,  there  had  " — gave  him  an 
explanation  of  my  former  and  present  state  and 
feelings,  and  added,  that,  unless  he  would  come 
to  experience  a  change  of  heart,  he  would  be 
lost. 

We  sung  a  hymn.  At  its  conclusion  he  fell 
upon  his  knees  and  cried  out,  "Let  us  pray." 
We  then  kneeled  and  prayed.  After  some  time 
thus  spent,  my  wife,  myself,  and  girl,  who  came 
with  us,  arose  from  our  knees.  He  remained 
on  his,  still  imploring  for  mercy.  We  knelt 
again  in  prayer. 

After  we  rose  up,  and  were  singing,  his  soul 
was  blest.  He  then  rose  and  walked  about  the 
house  rejoicing,  and  inquired,  "  Whether  the 
house  had  turned  around,"  saying,  "  It  appear- 
ed so  to  him."  I  told  him  "his  heart  had  been 
turned  around  and  created  anew.  The  house 
stood  as  formerly."  It  was  a  new  and  strange 
scene  to  me,  that  my  brother  should  ask  me  to 
pray  for  him  in  public,  and  openly  express  his 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER  29 

feelings,  and  '^ get  religion''  in  so  short  a  time, 
when  I  had  to  struggle  under  the  pangs  of  the 
new  birth,  for  nearly  two  years,  before  I  was 
born  again  ;  and  then  it  was  in  secret,  in  the 
woods,  no  person  being  present  at  the  time. 

Such  a  thing  as  calling  out  mourners  to  be 
prayed  for,  was  not  known  among  us  then.  I 
had  not  been  present  at  the  conversion  of  a  soul, 
save  that  of  ni}^  own,  prior  to  this  time.  There- 
fore, it  appeared  marvellous  in  my  eyes,  and 
more  so,  inasmuch  as  I  was  then  only  a  babe 
in  Christ,  knowing  but  little  of  the  ways  of 
God  with  man.  Since  that  time,  however,  I 
have  become  more  experimentally  acquainted 
with  such  matters,  and  have  long  since  ceased 
to  wonder  at  outward  demonstrations  upon  reli- 
gious subjects.  As  we  progress  in  religious 
knowledge,  we  become  more  acquainted  with 
the  operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

But  to  return  to  the  meeting  which  brother 
Braiser  had  held  on  Sunday  at  10  o'clock,  in 
my  house.  My  neighbor,  J.  E.,  went  home 
from  there,  reflecting  upon  Braiser's  exhortation 
and  the  object  "  Huber"  had  in  view,  by  having 
such  meetings  in  his  house.  After  he  retired 
to  bed,  he  dreamed,  that  the  day  of  judgment 
had  come  ;  that  the  whole  world  was  on  fire — 


30  AUTOBIOGllAl'HY   OF 

the  earth  quaking — and  his  house  sinking  clown. 
In  his  dream  he  jumped  out  of  bed — fell  upon 
the  floor — awakened  out  of  sleep — but  contin- 
ued lying  upon  the  floor  in  agony,  crying  for 
mercy  until  four  o'clock  next  morning,  when 
God  revealed  himself  to  his  soul  in  forgiving 
mercy. 

During  the  same  morning  on  which  this  oc- 
curred, he  came  over  to  my  house.     I  said, 

"  Good  morning,  Jacob."     He  replied, 

"Yes;  good  morning.  Indeed,  Sir,  this  is 
the  best  morning  I  ever  enjoyed  in  my  life. 
God  has  blessed  my  soul." 

I  told  him,  that  m}'  brother  Benjamin  had 
experienced  the  same  blessing  last  night,  and 
that,  on  next  "Wednesday  evening,  there  was 
to  be  a  religious  meeting  at  his  (Benjamin's) 
house." 

The  meeting  took  place,  and  such  w^as  the 
increasing  religious  excitement,  that  people  of 
almost  all  denominations  came  to  it.  Among 
the  crowd  of  hearers,  there  was  a  number  of 
new  converts,  Abraham  Wiugert,  A.  Crider, 
John,  Jacob,  and  P.  Zolliberger,  with  many 
others. 

On  the  following  Sunday  evening,  according 
to  appointment,  the  meeting  was  held  at  my 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  31 

house.  Brother  Brasier  did  not  come.  The' 
house  was  crowded  with  people.  1  told  them, 
that,  as  we  were  disappointed  in  a  speaker,  we 
should  sing  and  pray.  After  this  was  done,  the 
people  continued  on  their,  seats  in  silence,  and 
there  beiug  no  other  person  to  address  them, 
for  the  first  time  in  my  life,  I  commenced  speak- 
ing to  a  congregation.  Whilst  doing  so,  I  felt 
the  Spirit  of  God  moving  my  heart.  The  word 
took  effect.  Tears  began  to  flow  from  many 
eyes.  Some  began  to  cry  out,  and  pray  for 
mercy,  and  fell  upon  their  knees.  This  gave 
me  great  encouragement  to  speak  in  this  way. 
I  felt  my  unworthiness,  fearing  to  speak  in  pub- 
lic, in  consequence  of  my  ignorance  in  such 
things. 

I  had  frequently  before  this,  besought  the 
Lord  to  give  me  some  company  in  the  way  to 
Zion.  But  at  this  time,  he  gave  me  such  a  man- 
ifestation of  his  grace,  that  I  took  up  the  cross, 
being  convinced  that  a  dispensation  of  the  gos- 
pel was  committed  unto  me.  Although  it  was 
with  much  weakness,  fear,  and  trembling,  that 
I  spake,  there  was  here  an  evident  demonstra- 
tion, that  God  inspired  and  owned  his  word, 
through  such  a  weak  and  unworthy  instrument 
as  I  w^as.     So  I  felt  it  to  be  my  duty,  to  speak 


32  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OE' 

on  in  his  name.  After  this  first  attempt  to 
speak  publicly,  I  gave  out  appointments  to  hold 
meetings.  We  held  from  two  to  three  meet- 
ings a  week,  and  the  work  of  the  Lord  w^ent 
on  rapidly — sinners  convicted — mourners  con- 
verted— new  converts  established  in  the  faith  ; 
and  an  increasing  religious  excitement  took 
place  in  the  neighborhood. 

About  this  time,  my  brother  Abraham  was 
reconciled  to  God.  We  had  a  meeting  in  his 
house.  The  Eev.  John  Sneider,  from  Sher- 
man's valley,  attended.  He  was  one  of  that 
kind  of  gospel  pioneers,  who  did  not  think  it 
too  much  to  travel  from  twenty  to  thirty  miles 
to  hold  a  meeting,  in  order  to  get  souls  con- 
verted.    He  preached  for  us  that  time. 

After  preaching,  I  spoke  out :  "  We  ought 
to  sing  and  pray  again."  Sneider  replied, 
"Yes  !  that's  right."  I  gave  out  a  few  verses, 
sung  and  prayed,  after  which  I  called  upon 
brother  Balsar  Basehore  to  pray.  This  request 
took  him  by  surprise,  inasmuch  as  he  had  not 
prayed  in  public  before.  But,  being  deeply 
afi'ected  at  the  time,  he  commenced  in  such 
strains  of  eifbrt,  that  the  deep  emotions  of  his 
heart  broke  through  his  vocal  powers,  like  the 
rushing  of  water  through  the  opening  of  a  flood 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  33 

gate.  His  prayer  was  effectual.  It  took  deep 
root  in  my  brother  Abraham's  heart,  who  was 
kneeling  at  Basehore's  side  at  the  time.  In  an 
instant,  my  brother  sprang  upon  his  feet  and 
then  fell,  upon  the  floor.  This  he  did  twice  in 
succession.  The  third  time,  attempting  to  rise 
up,  he  fell  upon  his  back,  his  head  resting  upon 
a  bench  and  his  feet  extended  on  the  floor.  In 
this  condition  he  remained  for  some  length  of 
time,  stiff  and  powerless.  After  going  through 
this  process,  he  rose  up,  giving  God  thanks  for 
his  mercies. 

Meetings  continued  to  be  held  at  his  house. 
He  afterwards  became  a  preacher  amongst  us, 
and  continued  to  preach  the  Gospel  for  many 
years,  until  he  w^as  afilicted  with  a  cataract  in 
his  eyes,  when  his  physician  advised  him  not  to 
exert  himself  in  that  way,  as  it  would  be  inju- 
rious to  him.  Since  then  he  moves  in  a  more 
private  life ;  but  is  still  on  his  way  heavenward. 
After  some  time,  his  wife  and  two  of  his  daugh- 
ters, embraced  religion. 

Thus,  whilst  the  work  of  God  was  progress- 
ing, and  the  devil's  kingdom  destroyed  in  many 
hearts,  my  soul  rejoiced  in  God.  I  felt  heaven 
within  me,  and  w^as  deeply  humbled  and  grate- 
ful, to  think  that  God  should  have  selected  such 


84  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

a  sinner  as  I  had  been,  as  an  instrument  in  his 
hands,  in  aiding  to  promote  his  cause. 

The  report  of  such  religious  revivals  spread 
throughout  the  country,  like  the  rolling  of  thun- 
ders heard  far  away  in  the  distance.  It  reached 
the  ears  of  many  of  the  United  Brethren  preach- 
ers, who  lived  at  a  distance  from  us.  Some  of 
them  buckled  on  their  armor  and  came  to  the 
help  of  the  Lord  against  the  mighty.  Amongst 
them  were  Jacob  Bowlus,  Presiding  Elder,  J. 
Crider,  Abraham  Meyers,  David  Snider,  Mi- 
chael Bear,  Henry  G.  Spayth,  together  with  a 
number  of  others.  They  came  and  preached  the 
Gospel.  God  seconded  their  ministry  with 
signs  following.  Old  and  young,  men  and 
women,  experienced  the  new  birth — and  pray- 
ed and  prophesied.  The  old  dogma,  "  that  wo- 
men should  keep  silent  in  churches,"  was  lost 
sight  of.  Old  women  and  young  girls,  when 
their  souls  were  blest  and  made  happy,  would 
break  forth  into  singing — shouting — praising — 
exhorting — prophesying— and  talking  about  the 
Saviour  in  public  congregations,  to  the  utter 
consternation  of  old  dry  Pharisees,  who  beheld 
this  new  way  with  horror  and  dismay. 

Thus  was  fulfilled  the  prophecy  of  Joel,  2  : 
28,  29,  "  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  afterward 


Qf; 


KEV.    SAMUEL   IIUBER.  60 

that  I  will  pour  out  my  Spirit  upon  all  flesh  ; 
and  your  sons  and  your  daughters  shall  prophe- 
sy, your  old  men  shall  dream  dreams,  your 
young  men  shall  see  visions.  And  also  upon 
thy  servants  and  upon  thy  hand  maidens  in 
those  days,  will  I  pour  out  my  Spirit."  And  so 
it  was  here,  and  became  marvellous  in  the  eyes 
of  formal  professors  of  religion. 

One  time,  when  in  conversation  with  two  old 
men  upon  the  subject  of  religion,  a  certain  mor- 
alist, yet  a  great  controversialist,  whose  heart 
had  not  been  changed  by  grace,  approached  us. 
After  giving  attention  to  our  conversation  for 
some  time,  he  said, 

"  Your  professors  of  religion  are  all  good  for 
nothing  ;  they  are  all  hypocrites."     I  replied, 

"  i^ot  all.  Sir.  There  are  some  good  persons 
among  them.  But,  according  to  your  views, 
the  disciples  of  our  Saviour  were  all  good  for 
nothing,  because  one  of  them  became  a  devil." 
I  then  asked  him, 

''  Have  you  had  any  counterfeit  money  in 
your  time  ?"     He  answered, 

"  Yes."     I  replied,  inquiringly, 

"  Suppose  you  had  a  five  dollar  counterfeit 
among  one  hundred  dollars  good  money,  would 
you  throw  away  the  whole  on  account  of  the 
bad?"     He  answered, 


86  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

"1^0."     I  replied, 

"  Good  money  will  pass  anywhere,  and  so 
will  a  good  Christian,  although  there  are  some 
bad  professors  of  religion.  'A  good  tree  is 
known  by  its  fruit.'  So  a  good  Christian  is 
known  by  his  walk  and  conversation."  I  con- 
tinued, 

"  You  admit,  that  there  is  frequently  cheat 
and  cockle  among  good  wheat." 

He  answered  in  the  affirmative.     I  replied, 

"We  farmers  are  not  the  men,  who  throw 
away  the  good  wheat,  because  there  is  some 
cockle  among  it.  But  we  separate  the  cockle 
and  cheat  from  it,  and  then  use  the  wheat  for 
making  good  bread.  According  to  your  doc- 
trine, however,  you  throw  away  the  good,  be- 
cause there  is  some  bald  among  it.  l!^ow  when 
we  sow  the  seed  of  the  word,  it  falls  promiscu- 
ously '  on  the  way  side  ' — '  stony  places  ' — 
^  among  thorns  ' — and  '  on  good  ground,'  from 
which  spring  up  both  good  and  bad  professors 
of  religion  ;  and  so  we  let  them  grow  together 
until  the  sifting  time  arrives,  when  the  good 
shall  be  separated  from  the  bad." 

I  advised  him  to  get  religion,  and  not  to 
trouble  his  brain  about  other  people's  failings, 
but  to  live  a  holy  life  and  give  a  good  example 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBEK.  :i7 

to  others ;  referriug  him  to  Matthew  13,  chap- 
ter throughout,  but  particularly  to  the  24th  and 
and  27th  verses.  He  said  no  more — remained 
silent  and  went  off.  Afterwards  one  of  the 
old  men  remarked,  that  he,  meaning  the  con- 
troversialist, had  met  his  match  this  time,  and 
I  had  served  him  right. 


CHAPTER  in. 

MEETINGS    CONTINUED — FIRST    CAMP   MEETING    NEAR 
ROCKY   SPRING. 

I  now  return  to  the  revival  meetings  mention- 
ed in  my  last  chapter.  Meetings  were  held  at 
brother  Benjamin's,  Abraham's  and  also  at 
Balsar  Basehore's,  and  other  places  in  the 
neighborhood,  as  well  as  at  my  house.  Preach- 
ers of  other  denominations  than  those  of  the 
United  Brethren,  preached  for  us,  such  as  the 
Iviver  Brethren,  Dunkards,  Methodists,  Presby- 
terians, Lutherans,  Mennonites,  &c.  When 
God  converted  my  soul,  he  gave  me  that  love 
which  enabled  me  to  unite  with  all  his  true  fol- 
lowers. Love  to  all  mankind,  and  hatred  to 
none  ;  "  Prove  all  things,  hold  fast  that  which  is 
good,"  was  my  motto. 

The  first  Camp  Meeting  which  the  Church  of 


38  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF 

the  United  Brethren  in  Christ  held,  was  on  my 
brother  Abraham's  land,  near  the  Rocky  Spring, 
at  which  many  sinners  fell  down,  through  the 
power  of  the  word  preached,  as  if  dead,  but 
rose  again,  shouting  victory.  Some  time  after 
this  camp  meeting,  there  was  a  large  meeting 
held  near  brother  Abraham's  house.  Amongst 
the  preachers  who  attended,  were  A.  Meyer, 
Presiding  Elder,  H.  Kumler,  J.  Crider,  and  A. 
Draksel.  Brother  Draksel  preached  on  Sunday 
forenoon.  The  word  took  deep  root.  Many 
were  slain  of  the  Lord.  Souls  were  made  hap- 
py— and  much  good  was  done  at  this  meeting. 

Protracted,  or  "Big  meetings,"  were  held 
then,  differently  from  what  they  are  now.  Com- 
mencing on  Saturday  afternoon  at  2  o'clock, 
they  were  continued  until  the  following  Sunday 
afternoon.  Sacrament  was  then  administered, 
after  which  the  meeting  was  closed,  and  the 
people  retired.  Many  of  them  with  hearts  fill- 
ed and  glowing  with  divine  love,  frequently 
parted  with  shouts  of  joy,  while  sympathizing- 
tears  rolled  down  their  cheeks. 

Toward  the  close  ot  this  meeting,  God  gave 
me  such  a  spiritual  blessing,  that  I  was  over- 
powered by  it,  soul  and  body.  I  fell  and  lay 
upon  the  ground  for  some  length  of  time.    After 


REV.    SAMUEL    IIUBER.  39 

I  carae  to  myself  and  rose  up,  I  felt  an  inex- 
pressible degree  of  happiness,  which  constrain- 
ed me  to  offer  myself  anew  to  my  heavenly 
Father — '^  to  spend  and  be  spent "  in  his  service; 
and  I  resolved,  through  his  grace,  to  speak  more 
frequently  in  public,  depending  on  Him  for 
help  and  strength  in  every  time  of  need.  It 
must  be  borne  in  mind,  that  heretofore  I  had 
not  preached.  At  one  time  I  was  requested  by 
a  person  to  preach  a  funeral  sermon.  I  replied, 
that  "  I  did  not  think  myself  capable  of  doing 
so,  although  I  had  frequently  delivered  exhor- 
tations." He  said,  that,  "  If  I  did  as  well  at 
preaching,  as  I  had  done  at  exhorting,  he  would 
be  satisfied."  This  gave  me  more  encourage- 
ment. I  took  up  the  cross,  and  tried  to  preach 
accordingly. 

Some  time  after  this,  I  was  called  upon  again 
to  preach,  upon  the  death  of  a  young  lady.  I 
gave  the  same  answer  as  before,  not  thinking 
myself  called  to  preach,  but  only  to  exhort. 
The  applicant  answered,  that  he  had  heard  me 
preach  a  funeral  sermon,  and  was  satisfied  with 
it.  He  repeated  his  request.  After  some  hes- 
itation, I  complied.  But  notwithstanding  these 
repeated  calls  to  preach,  I  had  many  doubts  and 
fears  upon  the  subject,  feeling  my  own  insuffi- 
ciency for  such  a  responsible  work. 


40  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF 

At  length  I  resolved  to  make  another  trial, 
but  out  of  my  own  neighborhood.  Heretofore 
I  had  not  officiated  out  of  it.  Accordingly,  at 
the  request  of  brother  David  Fleck,  a  young 
man  w^ho  had  been  converted  in  mv  house,  I 
went  with  him  to  Amberson's  Valley.  We  went 
there  through  a  deep  snow.  When  we  arrived 
at  his  father's  house,  the  father  asked  me, 
''TV hat  brought  you  over  here."  I  replied,  "I 
came  to  hold  meeting  in  your  house  this  night." 
He  sent  his  youngest  son  on  horseback,  to  in- 
vite the  people  to  come  to  meeting.  About 
eighteen  persons  attended.  I  opened  the  meet- 
ing with  singing  and  prayer,  and  then  deliver- 
ed an  exhortation.  After  this,  we  continued  to 
sing  and  pray,  during  which  time  five  persons 
remained  on  their  knees,  being  under  convic- 
tion, crying  for  mercy ;  and  before  the  meeting 
concluded  that  night,  the  mother  of  the  family 
and  two  of  her  daughters,  were  made  happy  in 
a  sin  pardoning  God.  On  this  occasion,  my 
doubts  respecting  my  call  to  the  ministry,  were, 
in  a  great  degree,  removed.  I  had  a  stronger 
evidence  of  my  call  to  preach  the  Gospel  than 
ever  before,  seeing  that  God  worked  with  such 
a  weak  instrument  as  I  was. 

After  this,  I  was  invited  by  brother  John 


EEV.    SAMUEL  HUBER.  4l 

Bear  to  preach  at  his  house  in  Path  Valley.  A 
young  man,  Mr.  B.  M.,  having  some  notions  of 
his  own  about  preaching,  went  ahead  before 
the  meeting  day,  telling  the  people,  "  that 
Huber  was  coming  there  to  preach  ;  but  he 
would  show  them,  that  he  could  beat  him  preach- 
ing." With  this  kind  of  talk  and  blowing,  he 
created  an  unusual  excitement  and  curiosity  in 
the  minds  of  many  of  the  good  people  in  the 
valley.  At  the  time  appointed,  I  arrived.  The 
meeting  took  place  in  day  time.  B.  M.  was 
the  first  person  who  came  to  it.  A  large  turn- 
out, of  course,  took  place.  He  took  his  seat 
beside  me.  After  the  meeting  had  commenced, 
in  the  usual  manner,  I  began  to  preach,  and 
after  proceeding  some  time,  B.  M.  got  under 
conviction.  He  placed  his  head  between  his 
hands,  his  elbows  resting  upon  his  knees,  and 
began  to  tremble  like  a  man  with  the  ague, 
crying  out  lustily  in  prayer  for  mercy.  I  clap- 
ped him  on  the  shoulder,  and  told  him  to  pray 
on,  which  he  did  for  some  time.  After  meeting 
closed,  he  rushed  out  of  the  house  through  the 
crowd  in  double  quick  time — went  home — 
bundled  up  his  clothes — and  made  his  exit  that 
same  night  for  Ohio,  thinking  to  drown  his 
convictions  through  worldly  pursuits.  After  re- 
4 


42  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

maining  there  three  years, — his  convictions  still 
increasing,  and  not  finding  peace — he  returned 
to  Path  Valley — called  upon  David  Bear,  en- 
quiring what  he  should  do  to  be  saved.  He  was 
directed  to  the  Saviour,  and  at  last  "  got  reli- 
gion," in  the  same  neighborhood,  where,  three 
years  before,  he  had  boasted  he  would  beat  the 
preacher  preaching.  He  proved  faithful  to  his 
Saviour,  and  after  a  few  years'  fighting  the  good 
fight  of  faith,  died  a  triumphant  death  in  Stras- 
burg,  Franklin  county,  where  I  preached  his 
funeral  sermon.  Such  is  sometimes  the  way  in 
which  God  brings  sinners  to  himself. 

That  night  I  preached  in  David  Bear's  house. 
He  was  sick,  confined  to  bed,  and  requested  me 
to  pray  for  him,  which  I  did.  At  that  time  he 
had  no  religion,  and  through  this  means  he  be- 
came awakened,  and  afterwards  converted  to 
God.  He  continued  to  hold  meetings  in  his 
house,  and  became  a  zealous  and  useful  preach- 
er in  the  Church  of  the  United  Brethren  in 
Christ.  I  made  an  appointment  to  preach  at 
his  house  in  six  weeks  from  that  time,  when  I 
attended  and  preached.  After  meeting,  a  Mr. 
Martin  Hammond,  who  had  been  convicted 
through  my  preaching  the  first  time  I  preached 
in  David  Bear's  house,  and  got  converted  be- 


HEV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  43 

tween  that  time  and  this,  invited  me  to  preach 
at  his  house.  An  appointment  was  made. 
When  I  came  there,  his  wife  looked  daggers  at 
me,  blaming  me  for  leading  her  husband  astray 
from  his  former  religious  ways.  She  took  me 
for  one  of  the  false  prophets  and  deceivers,  &c. 
I  offered  to  shake  hands  with  her,  but  she  re- 
fused to  do  so.  When  the  people  began  to 
gather,  she  went  about  the  house  storming  as  if 
seven  devils  were  in  her.  At  length  she  took 
her  seat  in  a  corner  of  the  room.  The  relis^ious 
exercises  went  on.  During  the  time  I  was 
preaching,  a  thunderbolt  from  heaven  entered 
her  heart.  She  fell  upon  her  knees  roaring  out 
for  mercy,  as  if  the  devils  were  tormenting  her. 
Singing  and  prayer  were  continued.  She 
wrestled  on,  until  the  strong  man  armed  was 
cast  out,  and  a  stronger  than  he,  Christ,  took 
possession  of  her  heart  before  the  meeting 
closed.  After  she  had  got  religion,  her  coun- 
tenance and  conduct,  comparatively  speaking, 
were  as  different  as  light  is  from  darkness.  In- 
stead of  storming  about  the  house,  showing 
angry  frowns  in  her  features  as  before,  she  now, 
with  smiles  of  joy  and  peace,  recommended  her 
Saviour  to  others.  In  short,  the  lioness  was 
turned  into  a  lamb.     To  God  be  all  the  glory ! 


44  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

CHAPTEE  IV. 

CURIOUS  EXPERIENCE  ABOUT  TWO  LONG  BEARDED  MEN« 

The  repeated  manifestations  of  God's  appro- 
val of  my  weak  efforts  to  promote  his  cause,  as 
heretofore  stated,  convinced  me  more  fully,  that 
He  had  a  work  for  me  to  do.  From  this  time 
I  made  it  my  duty  to  exhort  and  preach  on 
every  opportunity,  in  order  to  turn  sinners  from 
the  error  of  their  ways  to  Christ.  In  the  year 
1815,  I  was  licensed  as  an  exhorter,  by  the  Uni- 
ted Brethren  in  Christ,  at  an  Annual  Conference 
held  at  brother  Henry  Kumler's,  four  miles 
from  Greencastle,  Franklin  county.  Pa.  The 
year  after  that,  I  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the 
Pennsylvania  Annual  Conference. 

During  my  travels  and  associations,  I  had 
many  opportunities  of  hearing  the  religious  ex- 
periences of  God's  children,  a  few  of  which  I 
will  state  in  this  work,  showing  some  of  the 
different  ways  God  takes  to  bring  sinners  to 
himself.  At  an  Experience  meeting,  the  fol- 
lowing experience  was  related  by  B.  Carper. 
He  rose  in  the  meeting  and  said : 

"  Brethren  and  sisters,  I  will  tell  you  how 
the  Lord  brought  me  out  of  darkness  into  his 
marvelous  light.  At  the  time  the  United 
Brethren  preachers  first  came  into  our  parts, 


REV.   SAMUEL   HUBER.  45 

there  was  one  of  them  called  old  "Father 
Boehm."  He  wore  a  very  large  beard.  On 
one  occasion,  he  had  a  meeting  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  Conowaga,  Virginia.  My  neigh- 
bor Brand  and  myself  lived  on  intimate  terms. 
Brand  invited  Boehm  to  preach  at  his  house.  I 
was  highly  offended,  that  Brand  should  bring 
one  of  those  so  called  false  prophets  and  deceivers 
amongst  us ;  and  the  more  so,  as  it  w^as  gener- 
ally reported,  that  they  had  such  bewitching 
powers  over  the  people,  that,  when  they  once  got 
into  a  family,  there  was  no  knowing  where  mat- 
ters would  end,  and,  in  many  cases,  they  had 
caught  whole  families,  and  sections  of  country 
around. 

Indignant  at  such  things,  I  thought  it  would 
be  best  to  put  a  stop  to  these  preachers  in  the 
commencement.  *So,  when  Boehm  came  to 
preach  at  Brand's  house,  I  went  there  intending 
to  kill  him,  and  as  I  was  a  strong,  stout  man, 
not  fearing  half  dozen  men  at  a  time,  I  had 
made  up  my  mind  how  to  take  the  preacher. 
When  he  would  come  out  of  the  door,  after 
preaching,  I  intended  to  pounce  upon  him,  and 
with  one  blow  knock  him  down — then  jump 
upon,  and  kill  him.  And  so,  while  he  was 
preaching,  I  stood  outside  of  the  house,  waiting 


46  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

until  he  would  be  done  and  come  out.  At  the 
same  time,  I  was  listening  to  his  discourse.  It 
appeared  to  me,  that  Brand  had  told  Boehm  all 
about  myself,  what  sort  of  a  man  I  was,  &c.,  &c. 
The  word  preached  went  into  my  heart,  like 
arrows  from  a  strong  bow.  In  an  instant,  a 
fearful  trembling  came  over  me.  I  took  to  my 
heels  and  ran  home  as  fast  as  my  legs  could  car- 
ry me.  When  I  came  to  the  house,  my  fears 
increased  so  much,  that  I  was  at  first  afraid  to 
enter  it  in  the  dark. 

That  night  I  spent  in  awful  fear  and  tremb- 
ling,— not  knowing  what  had  come  over  me, 
as  I  had  never  felt  fear  before.  isText  morning 
I  took  my  axe,  and  walked  into  the  woods.  I 
there  imagined  I  saw  a  man  with  a  long  beard 
coming  towards  me  in  great  haste.  This  in- 
creased my  fears.  I  looked  at  him.  His  eyes 
were  fixed  upon  me,  as  he  came  still  nearer.  I 
could  stand  the  sight  no  longer.  With  horror 
I  ran  from  him.  At  the  same  time,  he  made 
after  me.  I  continued  fleeing  towards  the  fence 
— and  threw  away  the  axe  in  the  flight.  When 
I  got  to  the  fence,  I  made  a  jump,  raising 
my  feet,  intending  to  leap  over  it.  When  on 
the  top  of  the  fence,  another  beaKly  man  met 
me  on  the  other  side.     He  took  hold  of  me,  and 


REV.    SAMUEL    HUBER.  47 

pulled  me  down  from  off  the  fence.  The  first 
man  then  jumped  upon  me.  It  appeared  that, 
when  these  men  held  me  down,  the  earth  open- 
ed, and  I  went  down  into  hell. 

My  body  lay  in  the  fence  corner  nearly  the 
whole  day.  I  knew  nothing  of  this  world  du- 
ring that  time.  After  I  recovered,  I  found  my- 
self a  new  creature  in  Christ  Jesus.  I  rejoiced 
that  I  was  brought  out  of  the  thraldom  of  the 
devil,  and  liberated  from  hell,  where  I  thought 
the  devil  had  me.  After  this,  I  had  no  more 
desire  to  kill  the  false  prophets,  so  called,  but 
found  them  to  be  God's  true  preachers,  who 
preached  his  word  faithfully.  I  united  with 
them  in  Christian  fellowship  and  now  have 
meeting  in  my  house,  and  am  striving  to  serve 
the  Lord,  with  my  family  and  the  brethren." 

In  1816,  a  request  was  made  to  Conference, 
to  send  a  preacher  to  Tuckaho  valley.  Pa.  The  lot 
fell  upon  brother  John  Bear  and  myself.  We 
went  first  to  Path  Valley,  thence  to  Aughwick 
Valley,  thence  to  Hill  Valley.  Passing  through 
Huntingdon  county,  to  {Sinking  Valley,  we  ar- 
rived in  Tuckaho  Valley,  and  tarried  to  preach 
at  brother  Buttenberger's.  These  strange 
preachers  were  looked  upon  as  a  phenomenon. 
Some  people  looked  at  us  with  terrified  glances, 


48  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

afraid  to  come  into  the  house,  but  stood  gaping 
in  at  the  windows.  After  eying  us  for  some 
time,  it  was  discovered  from  our  appearance, 
that  we  looked  just  like  other  men.  We  invi- 
ted them  into  the  house.  After  some  hesitation, 
they  began  to  enter.  The  house  became  crowd- 
ed. Brother  Bear  preached,  after  which  I  fol- 
lowed with  exhortation.  The  word  took  effect. 
Some  were  deeply  wounded.  One  woman,  a 
Lutheran  preacher's  wife,  got  under  conviction, 
and  prayed  earnestly. 

Next  day  we  went  to  Warrior's  Mark ;  put 
up  with  Mr.  Rumberger,  and  preached  there. 
Returning  home,  we  preached  at  the  several 
appointments  we  had  made  on  our  outward 
route.  These  appointments  extended  eighty- 
five  miles,  from  where  we  started  to  the  Alle- 
gheny mountains.  The  preaching  was  then 
done  by  local  preachers.  They  preached 
gratuitously,  and  paid  their  own  expenses.  For 
about  two  years'  time,  the  Lord  wrought  such 
works  among  the  people,  that  preaching  places 
were  opened  in  such  numbers  in  these  parts, 
that  we  could  not  fill  them.  A  circuit  was  then 
formed  for  two  preachers.  Circuit  preachers 
were  sent  out  to  serve  the  people  with  preach- 
ing, &c. 


*  REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  49 

During  these  times  a  new  preacliing  place 
was  opened  at  Mr.  Conrad's  at  the  Iron  works, 
near  Warrior's  Mark.  Brother  David  Bear, 
Henry  Troub  and  myself,  on  our  way  to  the 
Furnace,  were  informed  that  an  appointment 
had  been  made  foi;us  there.  When  we  arrived 
at  the  place,  there  was  a  wedding  party  in  wait- 
ing. Brother  Troub  tied  the  knot  for  them. 
There  was  meeting  in  the  evening.  I  preached. 
The  Holy  Spirit  wrought  powerfully.  Seven  of 
the  wedding  party  fell,  as  men  slain  in  battle, 
crying  out  for  mercy,  and  were  married  to  the 
Lamb  of  God.  Afterwards  the  manager  of  the 
Iron  works  requested  brother  Troub  to  preach 
legiilarly  in  that  place,  a  meeting  house  having 
been  erected  there.  The  work  of  God  contin- 
ued to  progress  through  the  valley,  and  extend- 
ed to  the  environs  of  Bellefonte.  This  was  the^ 
commencement  of  the  United  Brethren  preach- 
ing in  that  region  of  country. 

Xext  morning,  brother  Bear  and  myself  start- 
ed homeward,  through  Aughwick  Valley,  where 
we  had  left  an  appointment  on  our  way  out. 
At  this  place  there  lived  a  Mr.  H.  Kemerling. 
The  meeting  was  held  at  brother  Aue's  house. 
Kemerling  was  a  very  wicked  man.  He  came 
to  our  meeting.     During  its   continuance  he 


50  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

became  awakened  to  a  sense  of  his  lost  state. 
He  requested  us  to  come  to  his  house  and  bap- 
tize his  wife  and  children.  We  went.  I  told 
them  "  that  baptism  alone  would  not  save  their 
souls, — but  that  they  must  seek  for  the  spiritu- 
al baptism,  by  getting  them  souls  converted." 
He  promised,  that,  if  I  would  baptize  them,  this 
should  be  a  beginning  with  him,  and  he  would 
seek  the  Lord,  and  lead  a  new  life.  I  complied 
with  his  request.  I  sung  and  prayed  with  them, 
and  left  for  home. 

About  one  year  after  this,  brother  Crider,  my 
colleague,  and  myself,  went  to  the  same  •  place 
to  preach.  In  an  experience  meeting,  Kemer- 
ling  and  his  wife  related  their  experience,  sta- 
ting what  God  had  done  for  them,  by  convert- 
ing their  souls.  He  said,  that  he  felt  it  to  be 
his  duty,  as  he  had  been  so  great  a  sinner,  and 
God  had  been  so  merciful  to  him,  to  spend  his 
future  life  in  his  Master's  cause  in  a  public  way. 
He  became  a  zealous  and  useful  preacher  of  the 
Gospel. 

At  another  time,  I  preached  at  brother  Oyer- 
ly's.  He  had  come  out  from  the  Mennonites, 
but,  not  yet  being  fully  inducted  into  the  new 
light,  as  some  termed  this  new  way,  he  had  his 
doubts  concerning  us ;   as  he  had  been  told, 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  51 

that  we  were  deceivers,  &c.  Therefore,  not 
knowing  how  matters  would  turn  out,  he  ap- 
pointed the  meeting  to  be  held  in  his  barn, 
fearing,  probably,  that  his  house  might  become 
contaminated,  if  we  should  preach  in  it.  At 
this  meeting,  his  son-in-law,*  J.  Rider,  got  un- 
der conviction,  and  in  a  short  time  afterwards, 
he  and  his  wife  found  the  pearl  of  great  price. 
He  became  a  preacher  in  the  Allegheny  Con- 
ference. 

The  next  appointment  we  had,  was  filled  by 
brother  John  Crider  in  brother  Rumberger's 
barn.  E'ow,  brother  Rumberger  was  one  of 
those  men,  who  did  not  want  to  work  without 
being  paid,  although  he  would  sometimes  labor 
on  trust.  J^ot  knowins:  whether  he  would  be 
remunerated  or  not,  having  some  how  or  other 
understood,  that  there  is  a  promise  on  record, 
that  "whosoever  receiveth  a  prophet,  in  the 
name  of  a  prophet,  shall  receive  a  prophet's  re- 
ward," and  being  somewhat  religiously  inclined, 
he  took  it  into  his  head  to  try  the  Lord,  and 
see  whether  his  promises  were  true  or  not.  So 
he  went  to  work  and  fitted  up  his  barn  in  good 
style  for  the  use  of  these  new  prophets, — which 
cost  him  considerable  labor  and  expense.  Ac- 
cordingly, the  meeting  was  held  in  the  barn, 


62  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OP 

and  at  this  meeting  brother  Rumberger,  his 
wife,  son,  and  daughter,  obtained  religion,  and 
went  on  their  way  rejoicing  ;  being  fully  satis- 
fied, that  God  had  more  than  amply  rewarded 
him  for  the  cost  and  labor  of  preparing  the  barn 
for  holding  meeting,  and  receiving  God's  pro- 
phets. 

I  might  go  on  to  relate  a  great  many  interest- 
ing circumstances,  which  took  place  at  the  com- 
mencement of  United  Brethren  preaching  in 
the  aforesaid  valleys  ;  but  the  cases  mentioned 
may  suffice  as  specimens  for  the  whole. 

At  one  time,  whilst  I  was  preaching  in  broth- 
er David  Fleck's  house,  in  Amberson's  Valley, 
the  power  of  God  arrested  his  brother  John,  who. 
was  convicted  and  converted  in  a  very  short 
time.  He  leaped  up  and  praised  God.  After 
I  had  spoken  in  German,  I  was  told,  that  the 
congregation  were  mostly  English,  and  that  I 
should  speak  in  English.  My  speaking  being 
mostly  m  German,  I  was  but  imperfectly  versed 
in  the  English  language.  However,  I  consent- 
ed to  do  so.  After  I  was  done  speaking  in 
English,  an  Irish  Roman  Catholic,  who,  proba- 
bly, never  had  heard  the  Gospel  preached  by  a 
Roman  priest,  rose  up,  and,  with  tears  in  his 
eyes,  said,  "  I  wish  that  God  Almighty  had 


R^V.   SAMUEL   HUBER,  53 

sent  his  convictions  on  me,  in  place  of  John 
Fleck.  I  have  as  much  need  of  them  as  he 
has."  Poor  sinner !  who  would  not  approve  of 
his  candor  and  sincerity  ? 


CHAPTER  V. 

PREACHER  DROPPED  INTO  A  HOGSHEAD. 

In  the  course  of  our  journey  through  this 
life,  singular  occurrences  frequently  come  to 
our  knowledge  from  personal  observation,  and 
through  information  from  others.  The  follow- 
ing incident  was  related  to  me  on  good  author- 
ity : 

At  a  certain  funeral  occasion,  a  preacher  was 
requested  to  preach  the  funeral  sermon.  When 
he  came  to  the  place  designated,  the  house  was 
too  small  to  contain  the  people.  It  was  thought 
proper,  that  the  preacher  should  address  them 
outside  of  it.  But  as  there  was  no  place  pre- 
pared for  him  to  stand  upon  while  preaching 
in  the  hurry  of  the  moment,  a  hogshead  was  set 
upon  its  end.  The  preacher  took  his  stand  upon 
it,  in  order  to  deliver  his  discourse.  "Whilst 
addressing  the  audience,  he  felt  it  to  be  his  duty, 


54  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

more  than  ordinarily,  to  enforce  his  remarks 
upon  his  hearers,  particularly  so,  at  such  a  time, 
as  that  of  a  funeral.  And,  as  he  was  one  of 
those  who  believed  in  smiting  with  the  hand 
and  stamping  with  the  foot,  according  to  the 
sentiments  of  an  ancient  prophet,  and  being 
determined  to  enforce  his  remarks  upon  his  au- 
dience, he  gave  one  stamp  with  his  foot  upon 
the  top  of  the  hogshead,  which,  not  having  been 
made  for  that  purpose,  gave  way,  and  went 
down,  with  the  preacher  after  it,  he  exclaiming, 
"That's  the  way  sinners  drop  into  hell  I"  He 
sprang  out  of  the  hogshead  and  finished  his 
discourse.  But  whether  the  idea  of  sinners 
dropping  into  hell  through  a  hogshead,  had  any 
effect  upon  his  hearers  or  not,  I  was  not  inform- 
ed. One  thing,  however,  is  certain.  It  was  a 
new  item  in  the  category  of  theological  terms. 
At  a  meeting  held  in  brother  Daniel  Piper's 
house,  I  preached  in  English.  A  young  wo- 
man, as  she  afterwards  stated,  took  her  seat 
close  to  the  bed-room  door.  Conviction  seized 
her.  She  got  up,  intending  to  jump  out  of  the 
house,  to  get  out  of  reach  of  such  power;  but, 
she  fell  down  in  the  bed-room — lay  there  in 
agony  for  some  time,  wrestling  in  prayer,  until 
she  was  blest.  Six  other  persons  obtained  mer- 
cy that  night,  before  the  meeting  closed. 


REV.    SAMUEL  HUBER.  55 

Being  requested  by  brother  John  Russel,  to 
help  to  hold  a  meeting  in  Sherman's  Valley,  in 
company  with  my  brother  Abraham,  we  started 
for  the  meeting.  On  our  way  we  called  upon 
David  Bear,  who  went  with  us.  "We  left  an  ap- 
pointment for  our  return,  at  Mr.  Cling's  near 
Concord.  After  this,  we  arrived  at  sister  Hub- 
ler's,  where  brother  Russel's  meeting  was  to  be 
held.  Brother  J.  Wins^ert  met  us  here.  Broth- 
er  Russel  had  not  yet  made  his  appearance.  We, 
however,  went  on  with  the  meeting. 

A  large  assembly  of  persons  were  present, 
among  whom  there  was  a  phenomenon,  in  the 
figure  of  a  female.  Her  dress  and  deportment 
corresponded  with  each  other.  She  was  em- 
bellished in  full  regalia  of  worldly  fashion.  Iler 
head  dress,  decorated  with  artificials,  might 
have  been  taken  for  a  flower-pot.  It  might 
have  been  fortunate  for  the  congregation,  that 
the  wearing  of  "  hoops"  w^as  not  then  in  vogue. 
Had  it  been  so,  this  personification  of  vanity 
might  have  taken  up  the  greater  part  of  the 
room,  within  the  circle  of  a  "  hoop,"  to  the  no 
small  annoyance  of  the  people.  Judging  from 
her  appearance,  a  stranger  would  have  taken 
her  to  be  the  "belle"  of  the  country.  She 
seated  herself  in  the  middle  of  the  room  j  kept 


66  ,       AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OP 

looking  about  at  the  people  with  conteraptous 
airs,  pecking  with  her  hands  and  fingers  at  those 
within  her  reach,  with  a  view  of  making  her- 
self conspicuous  and  raising  fun.  She  was  a 
complete  gazing  stock  to  be  looked  at,  without 
the  remotest  idea  of  good  manners,  or  religious 
notions.  She  would  all  the  while  look  me  full 
in  the  face,  with  sarcastic  taunts  and  smiles. 
After  singing  and  prayer,  as  it  fell  to,  my  lot  to 
preach  first  that  evening,  I  took  for  my  text, 
Malachi  4 : 1,  "For  behold  the  day  cometh,  that 
shall  burn  as  an  oven  :  and  all  the  proud,  yea, 
and  all  that  do  wickedly,  shall  be  stubble  :  and 
the  day  that  cometh  shall  burn  them  up,  saith 
the  Lord  of  hosts,  that  it  shall  leave  them  neith- 
er root  nor  branch."  When  about  the  middle 
of  my  discourse,  the  power  of  God  struck  this 
embodiment  of  pride  and  vanity.  She  at  once 
fell  upon  her  knees,  imploring  God's  mercy  on 
her  soul. 

Feeling  strengthened  and  encouraged  at  this, 
I  continued  to  pour  out  God's  denunciations 
against  the  proud.  The  arrows  of  God's  word 
continued  to  fly.  The  Philistines  (sinners)  see- 
ing their  championess  fallen,  gave  way.  Some 
made  for  the  door.  Others  fell  upon  their 
knees,  and  still  others  upon  their  backs,  pray- 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  57 

ing.  The  power  of  God  went  like  fire  through 
stubble.  Brother  Wingert  followed  with  ex- 
hortation, exclaiming,  "  I  feel  that  the  power  of 
God  is  here."  His  exhortation  swept  through 
the  house  like  a  storm  over  a  grain  field. 

Up  to  this  time,  brother  Russel  had  not  been 
in  the  meeting,  but,  from  what  we  understood 
afterwards,  he  appeared  to  be  ''dodging.''  There 
are  some  great  big  warriors  in  the  world,  who, 
when  an  enemy  is  fleeing,  are  the  first  to  pur- 
sue ;  but,  in  the  commencement  of  a  battle,  they 
fight  under  cover.  Brother  Russel  had  been 
threatened  by  some  rowdies  with  the  loss  of  his 
horse's  tail,  and,  it  may  be,  a  little  damage  to 
himself.  These  threats  might  have  made  him 
dodge  some,  and  it  appeared  to  be  so,  from  the 
fact,  that,  during  the  first  part  of  the  meeting, 
he  was  in  the  room  above,  peejnng  down  through 
the  stove  pipe  hole  in  the  floor,  watching  the 
movements  below,  and  observing  how  mat- 
ters were  going  on.  Seeing  the  ranks  of  the 
enemy  breaking,  he  took  courage,  and  came 
down  into  the  room,  just  about  the  time  that 
brother  "Wingert  was  closing  his  remarks. 
Brother  Russel,  having  got  another  ''dip,"  open- 
ed his  gun  and  commenced  exhorting  in  such 
terms,  that  the  power  of  God's  word  flew  like 
5 


58  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

showers  of  grape  shot  from  a  battery.  If  ever 
God  helped  a  man  to  speak  in  his  name,  he  did 
so  through  brother  Russel,  on  this  occasion. 
The  power  of  God  was  present  to  kill  and 
make  alive.  The  meeting  proceeded,  some 
getting  religion  and  praising  God  ;  others  cut 
to  the  heart,  fell  down  in  distress,  to  rise  up 
again  with  joy.  Mourning — singing — praying 
— shouting,  were  the  characteristics  of  that 
night. 

The  meeting  continued  until  breakfast  time 
next  morning.  Among  the  converts,  was  the 
artificial  figure,  and  no  doubt,  the  devil  growled 
much,  when  he  lost  such  a  championess  in  his 
cause.  Such  was  the  work  of  God  in  the  Apos- 
tolic days,  and  such  it  has  continued  to  be  to 
the  present  time.  The  conversion  and  refor- 
mation of  sinners,  is  a  work  beyond  the  power 
and  wisdom  of  man.  Although  he  uses  men 
as  instruments,  "  the  excellency  of  the  power 
is  of  God,  and  not  of  man." 

After  breakfast  we  left,  and  went  to  our  ap- 
pointment near  Concord,  at  Mr.  Cling's.  When 
we  arrived  at  the  place,  there  was  a  good  turn 
out  of  people.  I  told  brother  Wingert,  that,  in 
consequence  of  our  last  night's  labor  and  loss 
of  sleep,  I  felt  rather  weak  to  preach,  and  asked 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  59 

him  to  fill  my  place.  He  said,  that  he  felt  as 
weak  as  I  did,  and  that  I  must  preach.  Seeing 
no  alternative,  I  preached  from  Matth.  5:6, 
"  Blessed  are  they  which  do  hunger  and  thirst 
after  righteousness  ;  for  they  shall  he  filled." 
Before  I  concluded,  the  man  of  the  house,  his 
wife  and  daughter,  together  with  another  aged 
man  and  his  wife,  obtained  mercy  ;  and  one  old 
Methodist  backslider  was  reclaimed.  Mr.  Cling 
used  to  say,  he  liked  to  hear  me  preach,  but  did 
not  like  this  mourning,  shouting,  &c.  It  look- 
ed rather  disorderly,  according  to  his  notions 
about  religion.  But  now,  when  he  was  seeking, 
upon  his  knees,  for  mercy,  he  cried  out :  "  Kow 
I  see  where  the  disorder  lies.  It  is  not  on  the 
side  of  religion,  but  in  my  own  heart."  After 
preacTiing,  brother  Wingert  delivered  a  power- 
ful exhortation.  Six  persons  professed  conver- 
sion at  this  meeting. 

From  Mr.  Cling' s  we  returned  home,  holding 
meeting  on  the  way  at  David  Beards  at  candle 
light.  At  one  time,  David  Bear  and  myself 
held  a  meeting  in  Strasburg,  at  John  Kewman's* 
On  this  occasion,  -^ve  souls  were  converted  to 
God.  The  oldest  son  of  Mr.  ^N'ewcomer,  one  of 
the  converts,  became  a  preacher  among  the 
United  Brethren. 


60  AUTOBIOGllAPHY    Or 

At  one  of  the  camp  meetings  held  near  the 
Rocky  Spring,  one  night,  after  the  people  had 
retired  to  rest,  there  were  present  three  young 
men.  What  their  intentions  were,  no  one 
knew,  probably,  but  themselves.  One  of  them 
had  a  pistol  in  his  hand.  They  were  standing 
around  one  of  the  Camp  fires.  Suddenly  they 
were  struck  with  the  power  of  God,  and  fell  si- 
multaneously to  the  ground,  w^ith  their  heads 
outwards  from  the  fire.  In  this  condition  they 
lay  as  dead  men,  apparently  without  life,  until 
the  forenoon  of  the  next  day,  at  which  time 
they  began  to  show  signs  of  life.  When  re- 
covering, they  trembled  as  though  they  had  the 
ague,  and  began  to  pray  for  mercy.  After  much 
prayer  was  made  in  their  behalf,  they  rose  up, 
praising  God,  "  that  the  dead  were  made  alive  " 
through  his  pardoning  grace. 

At  another  time,  in  company  with  Br.  Henry 
Kumler,  I  took  a  trip  into  Virginia,  beyond 
Staunton,  preaching  in  our  route  twice  a  day. 
We  felt  the  power  of  God  within  us,  whilst 
dispensing  the  word  of  life  to  others.  God  made 
it  a  "savor  of  life  unto  life,"  to  many  souls. 
We  had  lively  and  powerful  meetings.  From 
Winchester  we  went  to  Harper's  Ferry,  to  at- 
tend the  Annual  Conference.     We  then  return- 


KEV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  61 

ed  home,  after  having  travelled,  in  going  and 
returning,  about  four  hundred  miles. 

At  the  Annual  Conference  held  in  Frederick 
county,  State  of  Maryland,  May  7th,  1819,  I 
was  ordained  to  Elder's  orders  by  Bishop  'New- 
comer,  and  afterwards  elected  Presiding  Elder, 
having  heretofore  acted  in  the  capacity  of  a 
local  preacher  only. 

In  order  to  attend  to  my  duties  as  Presiding 
Elder,  I  went  through  the  Virginia  Circuit,  and 
held  quarterly  meeting  at  John  Funkhouser's. 
Here  much  good  was  done.  Many  got  under 
conviction — believers  were  stirred  up — swelling 
shouts  of  joy,  that  the  dead  were  made  alive, 
and  the  lost  were  found,  ascended  up  on  high. 
There  was  a  protracted  meeting  held  at  Father 
Shewey's,  ten  miles  above  Staunton,  which  I  at- 
tended. At  this  place  I  was  invited  by  a  person 
to  preach  in  Staunton.  I  went  there  and  preach- 
ed to  a  crowded  house  of  hearers^  in  a  Lutheran 
church.  As  we  were  returning  from  the  church, 
it  was  remarked,  "  that  if  God  is  as  well  pleas- 
ed with  you,  as  the  people  are  with  your  preach- 
ing, you  are  better  off  than  most  people  in  the 
world."  From  here  I  went  to  Middlebrook, 
and  preached  there,  and  thence  towards  Green- 
brier, not  far  from  the  ITatural  Bridge,  on  my 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY    QF 


way  to  attend  to  the  following  quarterly  meet- 
ings, viz.,  one  at  Bro.  Sites'  ;  one  near  'New 
Market,  at  Bro.  Lauman's  ;  one  at  Bro.  Blind's. 
After  this  I  returned  home. 


CHAPTEE  VI. 

SPIRITUALLY   BLIND   DEALERS   IN   THEOLOGY. 

After  harvest,  I  held  a  camp  meeting  six 
miles  above  Harrisonburg,  Rockingham  county, 
Va.,  on  the  grounds  of  Bro.  Hoffman.  Bros. 
Christian  Troub,  John  Brown,  Henry  Butner, 
"  Thomas  the  white  coat,'' — with  a  number  of 
other  preachers,  assisted  in  holding  it.  "When 
I  arrived  on  the  ground,  the  brethren  were 
much  discouraged,  because  there  w^ere  not  more 
aged  preachers  to  officiate.  They  said,  ''they 
thought,  the  meeting  could  not  be  held  by 
young  preachers."  Their  hands  were  hanging 
down.  Under  such  discouraging  appearances, 
I  took  the  stand,  and  called  the  congregation 
together.  But  few  of  them  left  their  tents — ■ 
the  most  remaining  in  them.  I  commenced 
the  meeting  by  preaching.  I  told  the  people 
not  to  place  their  hopes  in  men,  and  encouraged 
them  to  put  their  trust  in  God.     I  stated,  that 


REV.    SAMUEL    HUBER.  t)8 

I  was  by  no  means  discouraged,  that  my  trust 
was  in  the  God  of  Israel.  If  he  would  assist 
with  his  power,  all  would  turn  out  well.  There 
was  little,  if  any,  singing  or  praying  heard  on 
the  ground  that  night. 

ISText  morning  at  10  o'clock,  it  was  put  upon 
me  to  preach  again.  Some  of  the  brethren 
followed  Avith  exhortation.  But  things  contin- 
ued to  wear  a  gloomy  cast — there  was  no  ap- 
pearance of  a  shower,  as  yet.  There  was  a 
death  like  calm,  no  apparent  motion.  But  it 
was  a  calm,  similar  to  that  which  precedes  a 
hurricane. 

After  dinner,  I  requested  some  of  the  breth- 
ren to  come  into  the  preachers'  tent,  and  pray 
to  God  for  help,  and  so  they  did.  Shortly  af- 
ter this,  we  commenced  prayer  meeting  in  the 
tent,  and  ^ve  mourners  came  out  for  prayer. 
They  were  then  taken  out  of  the  tent,  into  the 
altar,  near  the  preachers'  stand.  During  sing- 
ing and  prayer,  until  preaching  time  arrived,  a 
number  of  mourners  were  added  to  those  al- 
ready in  distress.  The  excitement  began  to 
spread  over  the  ground,  like  the  rising  of  a 
water  flood,  propelled  forward  by  a  storm  of 
wind,  still  rising  more  powerfully  and  carrying 
before  it  all  in  its  way.     When  preaching  time 


04  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

arrived,  there  was  no  need  further  to  press  the 
people  to  come  into  the  congregation ;  they 
came  out  simultaneously.  Preaching  and  ex- 
hortation were  then  continued  in  German  and 
English.  The  w^ord  was  attended  with  power, 
and  fell,  like  showers  of  hail,  upon  a  corn  field, 
cutting  down  all  before  it.  The  people  were 
pricked  to  the  heart.  Many  of  the  "elite,''  to- 
gether with  the  common  people,  were  brought 
to  the  foot  of  the  cross.  The  mingling  of 
sounds,  such  as,  singing — praying — exhorting 
— mourning — shouting — together  with  the  sight 
of  sipners  prostrated — mourners  converted — 
new  converts  jumping  for  joy — saints  rejoicing 
— preachers  giving  glory  to  God ;  afforded  a 
pleasing  sight  and  sensation,  to  all  who  went 
in  for  propogating  the  cause  of  God,  and  de- 
stroying the  works  of  the  devil,  in  this  way. 

I  am  aware,  that  such  religious  exercises  do 
not  meet  with  the  approbation  of  all  kinds  of 
people.  There  are  some  honest,  good  meaning 
persons,  who  do  not  see  into  such  things  as 
many  others  do.  "We,  therefore,  pass  them  by 
with  our  best  wishes.  But  there  is  another  race 
of  beings  in  creation,  whose  eyes  are  blinded  by 
the  god  of  this  world,  whom  we  cannot  pass  by, 
without  some  notice.     They  claim  to  be  the  ex- 


REV.  SAMUEL   HUBER.  05 

elusive  benefuctors  of  mankind,  and  hail,  as 
they  speak,  a  new  order  of  things,  by  which, 
according  to  their  views,  the  world  is  to  be  re- 
generated by  a  religion  and  philosophy  of  their 
own  make,  consisting  in  outward  forms  and 
demonstrations  upon  the  subject  of  religion. 
Such  things  as  gospel  power  and  outward  expres- 
sions of  religious  feelings,  they  discard  as  being 
the  work  of  the  devil,  and  call  it  fanaticism  and 
heresy.  Ko  doubt,  ''  they  are  the  people,  and 
wisdom  will  die  with  them."  But  after  all  the 
declamations  and  ostentatious  display  made  by 
these  spiritually  blind  dealers  in  religion  against 
such  things,  the  gospel  power  still  moves  on  m 
the  good  old  way. 

At  a  Union  camp  meeting,  a  certain  would 
be  theologian  of  this  stamp,  alluding  to  such  re- 
ligious exercises,  in  his  public  vociferations,  ex- 
claimed, "  I  wish  that  God  would  banish  this 
damnable  heresy  from  the  face  of  the  earth." 
He  was  not,  however,  the  first  blind  leader  of  the 
blind,  who  gave  utterance  to  such  sentiments. 
Such  spiritually  blind  ''quacks"  in  religious  mat- 
ters existed  and  figured  in  the  Church  long  be- 
fore he  was  ushered  into  existence.  The  apostol- 
ic age  was  pregnant  with  such  theorists  ;  men, 
who  were  mere  pretenders,  "traitors,  heady, 


66  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

highminded,  lovers  of  pleasure  more  than  lov- 
ers of  God  ;  having  a  form  of  godliness,  but 
denying  the  power  thereof;  .ever  learning  and 
never  able  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth."  From  "  such,"  said  Paul  to  Timothy, 
"turn  away,"  And  their  father,  the  devil,  has 
continued  with  them  through  their  progeny, 
hlindhig  their  inielleciual  powers,  down  to  the  pres- 
ent day. 

Others  there  are,  who  are  in  favor  of  getting 
souls  converted  in  such  a  nice,  smooth  way,  that 
no  body  is  to  know  any  thing  about  it ;  no,  not 
even  the  subjects  themselves.  An  observance 
of  lifeless  forms  in  religion  is  recommended,  as 
a  criterion  by  which  to  judge,  whether  they  are 
"  born  again  "  or  not.  By  such  means,  souls 
are  hushed  up  and  '^  quieted  "  into  a  state  of  ig- 
norant notions  respecting  their  salvation,  and  if 
not  brou£:ht  out  of  this  condition  by  spibitual 
POWEB,  will  be  lost  in  the  end ;  and  God  will  re- 
quire their  loss  at  the  hands  of  such  a  ministry. 

But  we  need  not  go  out  of  the  range  of  our 
own  Church  to  find  "  preachers,"  who  show  an 
inkling  towards  insipid /o?'m5  in  religion.  There 
are  some  who,  after  their  professed  conversion 
to  God,  if  they  ever  were  converted,  could  stand, 
and  kneel  around  a  mourner's  bench;  sing— pray 


REV.    SAMUEL    HUBER.  67 

— and  talk  with  mourners,  &c.  ;  but  now,  under 
the  influence  of  worldly  elements,  are  seeking 
popularity  out  of  the  good  old  track.  They  go  in 
for  "  still  bor7i  children,''  fearing  that  anew  birth 
through  the  old  way,  accompanied  wdth  a  few 
shouts,  might  look  too  much  like  a  roiv  in  the 
eyes  of  "big  folks."  In  many  instances,  at 
meetings,  when  sinners  become  convicted,  these 
modern  refiners  in  theology,  instead  of  inviting 
them  out  to  the  mourner's  bench,  as  they  should 
do,  break  up  the  meeting — fearing  there  might 
be  too  much  noise  ! 

It  would  appear,  that  such  preachers  have  for- 
gotten, that  mankind  are  constituted  of  the 
same  ''material"  as  they  were  in  olden  times, 
subject  to  diabolical  influences,  and  that,  when 
the  devil  is  about  to  be  driven  out  of  a  person, 
he  "  rends  him  sore,"  before  he  leaves  the  castle. 
The  spiritual  conflict  going  on  in  the  heart  of 
the  sinner,  at  the  time,  produces  deep  contor- 
tions. It  not  only  causes  the  tear  to  flow,  but 
also  afiiicts  the  soul,  cutting  and  rending  it, 
like  the  case  recorded  in  the  gospel :  "  And 
they  brought  him  unto  him  :  and  he  fell  on  the 
ground  and  wallowed,  foaming,"  Mark  9  :  20, 
and  "  Jesus  rebuked  the  foul  spirit  and  it  came 
out  of  him."    Now,  when  the  sinner  is  thus 


08  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

made  whole,  it  is  by  no  means  surprising,  con- 
sidering tlie  great  change  produced  within  him, 
that  he  should  leap  forth,  and  praise  his  deliver- 
er. But  those  would  be  new  light  divines, 
dressed  up  in  every  new  changiJig  worldly  fashion, 
appear  to  have  lost  sight  of  the  fact,  that  it 
takes  the  same  '■'modus  operandi''  to  drive  the 
devil  out  of  a  sinner's  heart  now,  as  it  did  in 
former  times.  They  try  to  get  sinners  convert- 
ed in  a  more  refined,  world  pleasing  way,  and 
are  endeavoring  to  bring  into  the  Church  a  sys- 
tem of  "  dry  forms  "  in  religious  worship  ;  and 
by  such  means,  instead  of  furthering,  they  ob- 
struct, the  work  of  God.  Such  pretenders  to 
divinity  ought  to  know,  that  in  this  day  of  gos- 
pel light,  the  public  lose  confidence  in  them 
and  their  moral  harangues,  and  instead  of  bene- 
fitting the  Church,  tliey  become  an  injury  to  it. 
But  we  must  return  to  the  camp  meeting  near 
Harrisonburg,  on  brother  Hoffman's  ground. 
Among  the  attendants  at  it,  there  was  a  Mr. 
Rodes,  a  Mennonite  preacher,  who  came  there 
for  the  express  purpose  of  hearing  and  seeing 
for  himself,  how  these  people  carried  on  their 
meetings.  After  becoming  satisfied,  he  request- 
ed me  to  go  and  tarry  w^ith  him  at  his  house. 
During  my  stay  there,  he  said,  "  he  had  been 


IIEV.  SAMUEL   HUBER.  69 

brought  out  of  darkness  into  the  light  of  the 
Gospel  in  Otterbein's  time,  and  that  he  had  ex- 
perienced that  this  was  the  work  of  the  Lord  ;" 
exhorting  me,  at  the  same  time,  to  continue  on 
in  the  good  work,  in  the  face  of  all  opposition 
whatsoever,  and  not  to  give  way  one  inch. 
To  this  advice  I  have  continued  to  adhere. 

On  Sunday  I  preached  in  German.  The 
Methodist  Presiding  Elder,  who  attended  the 
camp,  followed  with  a  sermon  in  English.  There 
was  a  great  deal  of  weeping  in  the  congregation 
that  day.  There  were  also  a  great  many  people 
of  color  on  the  ground.  I  told  them,  "  that 
they  should  have  three  hours'  liberty  for  their 
religious  exercises."  After  I  came  down  from 
the  stand,  a  "  Goliath  "-like  looking  man,  with 
a  heavy  whip  in  his  hand,  took  me  roughly  by 
the  arm,  and  said,  "  that  I  had  subjected  my- 
self to  a  fine  of  twenty  dollars  for  giving  liberty 
to  the  colored  people."  "  I  told  him  I  was  not 
aware  of  having  violated  the  Virginia  laws — 
that  I  was  a  Pennsylvanian — that  1  preached 
the  Bible  doctrine,  and  that  colored  people  had 
as  much  need  of  the  Gospel  as  either  of  us." 
He  still  held  fast  to  my  arm,  talking  for  some 
time.  At  length  a  Magistrate  came  to  where 
we  were  standing,  and  after  he  became  acquaint- 


70  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

ed  with  the  affair,  said,  addressing  the  man, 
"  This  man  thinks  he  understands  Virginia 
laws  ;  but,  Sir,  if  you  don't  let  go  your  hold  on 
the  preacher,  and  cease  further  molestation,  I 
will  teach  you  some  law  which  you  do  not  un- 
derstand." He  let  go  my  arm,  hung  down  his 
head,  and  sneaked  away. 

The  meeting  continued  six  days,  with  great 
outpourings  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  At  its  close, 
when  about  to  leave  the  ground,  a  Mrs.  Snyder 
came  to  me,  and  said  : 

"  Are  you  going  away  and  to  leave  my  hus- 
band lying  in  the  altar."     I  replied: 

"  I  did  not  know  of  his  situation."  I  went 
to  him  as  he  was  lying  in  the  altar,  and  said  : 

"Snyder!  I  thought  you  were  a  religious 
man  long  ago."     He  replied: 

"  I  never  got  into  the  pool  yet,  although  I 
am  a  professor  of  religion." 

We  took  him  up,  he  being  powerless,  unable 
to  rise,  and  placed  him  in  a  wagon.  As  we 
parted,  addressing  him,  I  said  :  "  May  be  you 
will  get  into  the  pool  this  time,  before  you  get 
home,"  and  so  it  turned  out.  Before  he  got 
home  he  got  into  the  pool — was  blest  in  the 
wagon,  and  came  out  washed  from  his  sins. 

I  will  here  relate  a  circumstance,  the  knowl- 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  71 

edge  of  which  may  be  of  use  in  curing  the  bite 
of  a  snake.  When  we  were  about  leaving  the 
camp,  brother  Troub,  in  search  of  his  umbrella, 
put  his  hand  under  the  preachers'  bed,  when  he 
was  bitten  by  a  snake  in  his  fore  finger,  which 
caused  him  great  pain — swelled  much — the 
finger  and  part  of  the  hand  turned  blue  in  spots. 
"We  were  at  a  loss  for  a  remedy.  Brother 
Brown  said,  "  he  could  cure  him."  Troub  ex- 
posed his  naked  arm.  Brown  took  the  arm  in 
his  hand  tightly  ;  he  then  commenced  with  his 
closed  hand  rubbing  Troub's  arm  from  his 
shoulder  to  his  fingers.  This  he  did  three 
times  in  succession.  The  pain  left  the  arm,  and 
the  swelling  subsided.  'No  other  remedy  was 
used.     The  wound  was  cured. 

After  leaving  the  camp,  we  repaired  to  a  union 
camp  meeting,  held  near  l^ewtown,  on  Squire 
Steckley's  land.  It  being  a  union  meeting, 
there  were  Methodists,  United  Brethren,  and 
New  light  preachers  attending  it.  Much  union 
— good  feeling  and  spiritual  blessings  charac- 
terized the  exercises.  There  was  a  Col.  Smith 
on  the  ground,  who  said,  "  he  had  a  man 
of  color,  his  coachman,  who  could  outpreach 
any  man  on  the  ground."  I  told  him  "  we  had 
plenty  of  preachers  here,  but  had  no  objection 


72  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

to  hearing  his  '  coachman.' "  The  darkey  took 
the  stand,  and  held  forth  in  such  strains  of  pow- 
er and  eloquence,  that  he  astonished  the  natives. 
The  whole  camp  felt  the  force  of  his  discourse. 
It  fell  upon  the  audience  like  the  rays  of  a  hot 
sun  upon  the  icebergs,  melting  down  hearts,  and 
causing  tears  to  flow  in  all  directions.  It  was 
conceded  by  all  parties,  that  he  beat  the  field — 
and  so  we  said,  Amen. 

A  circumstance  occurred  at  this  meeting, 
which  goes  to  show,  that  there  are,  at  times, 
impressions  resting  upon  our  minds,  which,  if 
properly  understood,  would  lead  us  from  danger. 
At  the  time  the  ground  was  being  prepared  for 
the  camp,  Mr.  Steckley  and  myself  were  looking 
over  it.  I  directed  his  attention  to  two  trees,  which 
stood  within  the  bounds  of  the  encampment. 
An  impression  rested  upon  my  mind,  that  there 
was  some  danger  connected  with  them.  One  of 
the  trees  was  a  large  hickory,  standing  at  the 
head  of  the  camp  ground,  where^  in  time  of 
meeting,  a  great  crowd  of  persons  generally 
gathered.  I  thought  it  should  be  cut  down, 
and  requested  Mr.  Steckley  to  have  it  done. 
To  this  request,  he  answered : 

"  There  is  no  danger  in  that  tree."     I  replied, 
"  We  don't  know^what  might  happen,"  ad- 


KEV.    SAMUEL   HUBER  73 

ding,  "  There  will  be  a  great  crowd  of  people 
collected  where  it  stands."     He  said,  pleasant- 

"  You  are  a  curious  sort  of  a  man."  I  re- 
joined, 

"  There  appears  to  be  danger  in  the  tree.  Let 
it  be  cut  down."  To  this  he  at  length  consent- 
ed. After  a  few  incisions  were  made  in  it  with 
the  axe,  it  was  discovered  to  be  rotten  inside 
down  to  the  ground,  and  was  soon  felled.  We 
were  satisfied,  that  it  could  not  much  longer 
have  withstood  a  storm.  I  then  requested  him 
to  have  the  other  tree,  which  stood  near  the 
preachers'  stand  and  the  altar,  removed  also. 
He  smiling,  replied, 

"  I  don't  think  there  is  another  man  on  the 
ground  but  yourself,  who  apprehends  any  danger 
whatever  from  that  tree."     I  responded, 

"  If  the  devil  could  raise  a  wind  with  which 
to  blow  Job's  ^  house  down,'  and  a  storm  at 
sea,  at  the  time  Christ  was  in  the  ship,  he  might 
also  raise  a  storm  with  which  to  blow  that  tree 
down,  at  the  moment  when  likely  to  do  the 
most  mischief."     He  replied, 

"  I  wonder  at  you  for  having  any  fears  about 
that  tree.    It  has  withstood  the  storms  of  over 
6 


74  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

one  hundred  years,  and  can  do  the  same  for 
ages  yet  to  come." 

And  so  the  tree  was  left  standing.  On  the 
Sabbath  forenoon,  at  the  time  Doctor  Tilton,  a 
Methodist,  was  preaching,  a  sudden  storm  arose 
from  the  North,  and  with  strong  winds,  came 
moving  towards  us.  I  saw  its  approach.  Ap- 
prehending danger  near,  I  took  my  hat,  left  the 
stand,  and  ran  in  a  direction  from  the  tree,  in 
case  it  should  be  blown  down.  The  preacher 
stctpped  his  discourse.  The  preachers  in  the 
stand,  with  the  people  in  the  altar,  seeing  me 
flee,  and  stimulated  by  my  example,  with  rapid 
and  unmeasured  strides,  took  the  same  course. 
"We  had  scarcely  got  out  of  the  way,  when  down 
came  the  top  of  the  tree,  with  a  tremendous 
crash,  into  the  altar,  and  had  we  not  done  as  we 
did,  there  might  have  been  many  persons  kill- 
ed or  maimed  by  its  fall. 

The  foregoing  occurrence  starts  a  question, 
upon  which  a  few  thoughts  may  be  employed, 
without  transcending  the  limits  of  penetration, 
viz :  "Was  it  the  devil  or  not,  that  raised  the 
storm  which  broke  off  the  top  of  the  tree  ?  and, 
if  so,  "What  object  could  behave  had  in  view  in 
its  accomplishment  ?  We  answer  the  first 
question  in  the  affirmative.     And  in  answer  to 


REV.    SAMUEL    HtJBER.  75 

the  second  question,  we  give  it  as  our  opinion, 
that  the  devil  stirred  up  the  storm,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  breaking  up  the  camp  meeting,  or  oth- 
erwise doing  injury  to  the  people  who  had  as- 
sembled there  to  worship  God. 

First:  because  camp  meetings  are  dangerous 
elements  to  Satan's  ways,  inasmuch  as  through 
them,  there  have  heen,  and  still  are,  many  of 
his  champions  caught  in  the  Gospel  net. 

Second:  ever  since  "King  Emanuel"  has 
opened  the  Gospel  way  of  destroying  the  works 
of  the  devil,  and  using  men  as  instruments  for 
that  purpose,  it  is  well  known  by  both  men  and 
devils,  that  a  true,  converted  preacher,  (7iot  a 
mere  pretender)  is  by  no  means  a  friend,  but  an  ir- 
reconcilable opponent  of  the  devil,  by  proclaim- 
ing Christ  and  him  crucified,  &c.,  &c.  ISTow,  in- 
asmuch as  the  old  serpent  is  at  interminable  war 
with  such  things,  and  makes  use  of  all  ways  and 
means  in  his  power  to  counteract  them,  therefore, 
we  think,  that  it  is  not  out  of  latitude  to  sup- 
pose, inasmuch  as  he  is  spoken  of  in  Scripture,  as 
having  raised  a  "  ivind  which  blew  Job's  house 
down,"  and  is  styled  "  the  prince  of  the  pow- 
er of  the  air,"  Ephesians  2:  2,  that  he  would 
raise  a  storm,  to  injure  the  camp  meeting  by 
the  falling  of  a  tree,  and  if  that  tree  top  had 


76  AUTOBIOORAPIIY   OF 

fallen  on  the  people,  it  certainly  would  have 
clone  much  injury,  by  killing,  or  maiming  some, 
of  them,  and,  by  that  means,  there  might  have 
been  a  few  preachers,  as  well  as  people,  put  out 
of  his  way,  and  the  camp  broken  up,  and  the 
good  that  was  done  at  it  prevented. 

But,  inasmuch  as  we  do  not  hold  the  devil  to 
be  omniscient,  to  be  able  to  know  and  see 
whatsoever  cometh  to  pass,  he  is  frequently  dis- 
appointed. In  this  case  there  was  a  counter- 
acting influence  to  his  movements  exercised  at 
the  time,  through  the  impression  made  upon 
our  mind,  respecting  the  danger  connected  with 
the  trees  ;  and,  by  this  means,  Satan  was  foiled 
in  his  measures.  'Now  we  have  no  direct  proof 
in  "  holy  writ,"  that  Satan  did  actually  raise  the 
"  wind,"  which  blew  down  "the  house  of  Job." 
But  we  infer  it  to  be  so,  from  the  fact,  that  God 
put  "Job's  possessions  into  his  hands,"  at  the 
time  ;  Satan  having  power  to  use  such  elements 
as  suited  his  purpose.  It  is  also  the  opinion  of 
some  thinkers^  that  the  devil  raised  the  storm  at 
sea,  when  Christ  was  in  the  ship,  thereby  in- 
tending to  destroy  him  and  his  companions  in 
the  deep. 

After  taking  this  summary  view  of  the  sub- 
ject, we  oj)me^  that  the  devil  raised  the  storm  at 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  77 

this  camp  meeting,  for  the  purpose  aforemen- 
tioned. But,  if  the  reader  thinks  otherwise,  he 
is  perfectly  at  liberty  to  do  so.  People  will 
have  their  own  notions  about  "  the  devil  and 
some  of  his  doings,"  at  any  rate. 

At  the  time  I  carried  on  the  tailoring  business, 
there  was  in  my  employ,  an  intelligent  young 
widow,  a  Fresbyterian,  of  good  moral  character, 
and  a  good  seamstress.  She  would  frequently 
advance  Calvinistic  doctrines,  in  the  course  of 
argument.     On  one  occasion,  I  asked  her, 

"  Jane  :  Do  you  know  whether  you  are  one 
of  the  elect,  or  a  reprobate  ?"     She  answered, 

"  I  don't  know.  It  is  not  our  business  to 
know  that."     I  rejoined, 

"  Then  you  run  a  great  risk,  by  not  knowing 
your  spiritual  state."     She  answered, 

"  Our  business  is  to  do  right,  by  living  a  re- 
ligious life,  unconcerned  about  Election  or 
Reprobation."     I  said, 

"  A  true  Christian  knows  where  he  is  going, 
and  if  you  get  religion,  you  will  not  believe 
Calvin's  doctrine  any  longer." 

After  this  she  began  to  pray  in  secret,  as  she 
afterwards  told  me.  So  one  day,  as  she  was 
sitting  on  the  shop-board  at  her  work,  with  my 
daughter,  she  sprang  from  her  seat,  jumping — 


78  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

shoutiug  through  the  house,  until  she  fell  down 
upon  the  floor,  to  the  utter  surprise  of  the  fam- 
ily. I  was  absent  at  the  time.  When  I  came 
home,  I  looked  at  her,  and  seeing  she  had  such 
a  pleasant  countenance,  she  began  to  cry  out, 
"  Glory — Glory — I  have  got  religion.  I  was 
born  shouting,  and  I  hope  to  die  shouting." 

A  few  years  after  this,  she  was  brought  to 
her  death-bed.  I  visited  her  shortly  before  her 
death.     When  there,  she  asked  me  : 

"Did  you  see  that  light  in  the  room."  I 
said, 

"ITo!"     She  replied, 

"  I  see  it  as  plainly  as  the  sun,"  and  request- 
ed me  to  sing  and  pray  with  her  once  more. 
After  prayer,  she  shouted,  Glory  !  Glory  !  and 
expired,  in  fulfilment  of  the  hope  she  expressed 
at  her  spiritual  birth  to  "  die  shouting."  ■ 

Brother  Henry  Clippinger,  in  relating  to  me 
his  experience,  said  : 

"  I  was  a  member  of  a  certain  Church  in 
Shippensburg,  and  being  an  Elder  in  it,  I  con- 
sidered myself  a  pretty  good  Christian.  At  one 
time  I  went  to  hear  the  Eev.  Mr.  Habliston 
preach.  I  paid  great  attention  to  what  he  said. 
So,  w^hen  he  began  to  preach,  I  began  to  weep, 
not  knowing  why  I  should  do  so,  as  I  consider- 


REV.    SAMUEL    HUBER.  79 

ed  myself  good  enough.  It  made  me  feel  mucli 
ashamed  of  myself,  to  tliink,  that,  an  old  pro- 
fessor of  religion  as  I  was,  should  shed  tears.  I 
held  my  handkerchief  over  my  face,  fearing  the 
people  would  see  me  cry,  and  call  me  an  old  wo- 
man. I  therefore  concealed  my  tears,  as  much 
as  possible.  Afterwards,  on  my  way  home,  it 
being  an  intensely  cold  night,  the  tears,  rolling 
down  my  cheeks,  froze  into  two  cakes  of  ice 
on  them.  When  I  got  home,  I  had  to  thaw 
them  at  the  stove.  While  doing  so,  my  wife 
came  to  me,  much  alarmed,  thinking  that  I  was 
almost  frozen  to  death. 

I  went  to  bed  weeping.  My  wife  thought  I 
was  dying.  I  continued  in  prayer  for  mercy, 
having  found  out  by  this  time,  that  my  profess- 
ed religion  consisted  in  vague  notions.  After 
thus  praying  for  some  time  in  bed,  the  good 
Lord  broke  down  all  my  old  unsound  religious 
fabrics,  and  gave  me  a  new  and  true  religion, — 
converting  my  soul.  Such  was  my  extacy  of 
joy,  that  I  asked  my  wife.  Whether  the  roof 
had  been  taken  from  off  the  house,  inasmuch 
as  it  appeared  to  me  that  I  could  see  clear  up 
to  heaven.  After  this,  my  wife  and  family  be- 
came converted  to  God,  and  are  now  moving 
Zion-ward  in  a  living  spiritual  way. 


80  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

It  lias  often  been  asked,  Whether  a  person 
can  get  converted  by  hearing  a  sermon  in  a  lan- 
guage which  he  does  not  understand  ?  I^Tow,  as 
a  general  rule,  the  question  will  be  answered  in 
the  negative.  For,  to  convince  a  sinner  of  the 
error  ot  his  ways,  and  point  him  to  the  proper 
remedy,  it  is  necessary  to  instruct  him  in  words 
and  language  such  as  he  can  understand.  To 
speak  to  him  in  an  "  unknown  tongue,"  is  like 
speaking  "into  the  air,"  because  he  under- 
stands it  not.  Hence  it  is  important,  that  he 
should  understand  the  language  spoken,  in  or- 
der to  arrive  at  a  knowledge  of  the  truth. 
From  this,  we  infer,  that,  as  a  general  rule, 
souls  cannot  be  converted  under  preaching  in  a 
language  which  they  do  not  understand. 

But  general  rules  have  their  exceptions.  This 
is  the  case  with  the  present  one.  The  truth  of 
this,  was  fully  illustrated  by  an  incident  which 
occurred  in  my  house.  At  one  time,  when  a 
brother  was  preaching  in  the  German  language, 
an  English  Eoman  Catholic  young  woman  was 
present.  She  became  convicted  of  sin  under 
his  preaching,  and  got  converted  before  the 
close  of  the  meeting.  I  then  asked  her,  why  it 
was,  that  she,  being  English,  and  having  fre- 
quently heard  preaching  in  that  language,  did 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  81 

not  get  religion  before  this ;  but  now,  under  a 
sermon  in  German,  which  she  did  not  under- 
stand, she  became  convicted  of  sin.  She  repli- 
ed, that  the  power  she  felt  under  the  preaching 
convinced  her,  that  the  preacher  was  a  man  of 
God,  and  this  fact  brought  her  to  reflection,  by 
means  of  which  she  became  convicted,  and 
sought  and  found  the  Lord.  Thus  we  see,  that 
God  labors  for  the  salvation  of  souls  by  ways 
and  means,  of  which  the  philosophy  of  the  world 
never  dreams.  Glory  be  to  his  name  for  free 
grace  and  salvation ! 


CHAPTER  Vn. 

CAMP  MEETING   ON    OVERCASH's  LAND — FETTERHOFF'S 
CHAPEL — FUNKSTOWN. 

After  I  had  returned  home  from  the  camp 
meeting  held  on  Mr.  Steckley's  ground,  I  held 
another  camp  meeting  on  brother  Overcash's 
premises,  near  the  head  of  the  Falling  Spring, 
Franklin  county.  Pa.  At  this  meeting  there 
was  not  that  apparent  display  of  God's  power, 
which  was  manifested  on  some  other  occasions. 
Several  preachers  left  the  ground  discouraged, 
saying  there  could  be  nothing  done  here.    There 


82  AUTOBIOaRAPHY    OF 

was,  however,  some  moving  of  the  Spirit.  It 
was  what  may  be  called,  a  good  camp  meeting. 
But,  inasmuch  as  the  Lord  has  his  way  in  the 
"  calm"  as  well  as  in  the  "  storm,"  he  frequent- 
ly withholds  from  his  faithful  ministry  the  im- 
mediate effects  of  their  preaching.  Evidence  of 
this  was  had  in  the  case  of  this  meeting.  One 
year  subsequent  to  it,  at  a  quarterly  meeting 
held  at  Fetterhoff's  Chapel,  a  number  of  per- 
sons, in  relating  their  religious  experience,  da- 
ted their  conversions  from  the  preaching  at  this 
camp  meeting.  Thus  are  the  Scriptures  fulfill- 
ed. "  The  seed  cast  upon  good  ground  brings 
forth,  some  sixty,  some  an  hundred  fold,"  al- 
though it  may  remain  in  the  ground  for  a 
length  of  time  before  it  springs  up. 

At  another  quarterly  meeting,  held  in  Fetter- 
hoff's  Chapel,  there  were  twelve  converted  to 
the  true  faith.  The  preachers  who  assisted  at 
this  time,  were  brothers  J.  Kessler,  F.  Gilbert, 
Samuel  Cook. 

FuNKSTOWN,  a  village  a  few  miles  distant  from 
the  Chapel,  was  at  that  time  considered,  in  a 
religious  respect,  a  hard  place.  There  were,  it 
is  true,  some  cold  religious  professors,  and  a 
few  warm  ones,  residing  in  and  about  the  vil- 
lage.    But,  in  general,  wickedness  carried  the 


HEV.    SAMUEL   HUBEK.  S'6 

day.  Proof  of  this  was  given  prior  to  this  time 
at  a  religious  revival  meeting,  held  by  the 
Methodists,  in  a  union  meeting  house,  in  that 
place.  Some  of  the  devil's  advocates,  in  their 
hostility  towards  such  meetings,  upset  the  stove, 
with  fire  in  it,  during  the  time  of  meeting. 

Such  things,  as  sinners  praying  audibly  in  the 
church  for  mercy — getting  religion — shouting, 
&c.,  were  looked  upon  by  the  major  part  of  the 
people,  as  being  the  works  of  the  devil,  which 
should  not  be  tolerated ;  and,  what  made  the 
matter  worse,  there  were  some  clerical  gentry, 
who,  assuming  to  be  Christ's  ministers — claim- 
ing to  be  the  wisdom  of  the  age — but  not  know- 
ing the  power  of  God  themselves, — came  among 
the  people,  and  cried  out  in  no  measured  terms 
against  this  sort  of  wild  fire  fanatical  religion, 

In  view  of  such  a  state  of  things  in  that 
neighborhood,  it  was  thought  necessary  by  some 
of  our  brethren,  that  another  attack  (the  breth- 
ren having  preached  there  before)  should  be 
made  upon  Satan's  forces  there,  and  a  few 
rounds  of  grape  and  canister  shot,  in  theologi- 
cal style,  sent  into  their  ranks.  It  was  asked, 
"  How  many  preachers  will  come  to  Funkstown, 
to  hold  a  meeting?"     Brother  J.  Kessler,  E. 


84  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

Hoffman  and  myself  agreed  to  go.  We  went 
and  held  a  meeting,  at  which,  time  God  blessed 
his  word  in  the  conversion  of  two  souls,  and  no 
doubt  many  more  were  brought  to  feel  the  in- 
fluence of  Gospel  power. 

This  may  be  regarded  as  the  beginning  of 
United  Brethrenism  in  that  place.  Since  that 
time,  the  Church  has  increased  in  members 
there.  The  Brethren  have  built  a  church  of 
their  own.  The  former  prejudices,  which  exist- 
ed against  their  mode  of  worship,  have  mostly 
died  away.  At  a  protracted  meeting  held  there 
last  fall  by  brother  J.  M.  Bishop,  preacher  in 
charge,  assisted  by  W.  Owens  and  J.  Denig, 
Episcopalians,  Lutherans,  Presbyterians,  Ger- 
man Reformed,  Methodists,  with  some  others, 
in  all  members  of  seven  different  religious  de- 
nominations, partook  together  of  the  Sacrament 
of  the  Lord's  Supper  in  the  United  Brethren 
church. 

At  one  of  my  regular  appointments  in 
Plough's  school  house,  one  Sunday  morning, 
towards  the  close  of  my  sermon,  my  brother 
Benjamin's  son  Samuel,  rose  up  in  the  congre- 
gation, and  said, 

"  I  want  to  tell  the  people,  that  I  now  intend 
to  serve  God,  and  lead  a  new  life."     I  replied, 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  85 

"  I  wish  there  were  more  in  the  house,  who 
would  come  out  in  the  same  way." 

We  then  kneeled  in  prayer.  When  we  rose 
up,  nine  persons  remained  on  their  knees,  cry- 
ing aloud  for  mercy.  We  continued  to  labor 
with  them  until  about  4  o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 
We  then  closed  the  meeting  until  evening,  re- 
questing all  who  wished  to  get  religion,  to  come 
out  then.  In  the  evening  the  house  was  crowd- 
ed to  overflowing.  Eleven  mourners  came  out 
for  prayer,  some  of  whom, obtained  the  blessing 
that  night.  We  then  appointed  another  prayer 
meeting  for  the  following  Wednesday  evening, 
at  my  brother  Abraham's  house.  At  this  meet- 
ing, another  of  the  former  eleven  mourners  was 
blessed,  and  during  the  same  week,  eight  out  of 
the  eleven  obtained  peace. 

At  a  camp  meeting  held  in  Pleasant  Valley, 
not  far  from  Boonsboro,  Md.,  while  I  was  de- 
livering an  exhortation,  the  power  of  God  came 
upon  me  in  such  a  manner,  that  I  became  pow- 
erless, and  fell  backward  on  the  stand,  and  laid 
there  a  short  time.  This  circumstance  gave 
rise  to  a  report,  that  I  had  been  struck  dead,  by 
the  power  of  God,  as  a  judgment  upon  me,  be- 
ing a  false  prophet,  and  that  I  was  buried  under 
the  preacher's  stand,  in  order  to  conceal  it  from 


86  AUTOBIOGllAPHY    OF 

the  public.  Futile  as  sucli  a  report  was,  it  ob- 
tained currency  throughout  the  country,  and 
was  hailed  with  eagerness  and  delight,  by  the 
enemies  of  true  religion,  and  propagated  from 
the  pulpit,  and  from  behind  tables,  at  religious, 
and  other  meetings,  with  a  view  to  prejudice 
the  people  against  us,  and  prevent  them  from 
coming  to  our  meetings. 

One  year  after  this,  I  attended  another  camp 
meeting  on  the  same  ground.  When  I  arrived 
there,  which  was  in  the  evening,  the  Presiding 
Elder  said  to  me,  "  That,  as  the  report  of  my 
death  and  burial  was  believed  by,  and  still  fresh 
in  the  memory  of,  many  in  the  congregation,  I 
should  keep  off  the  stand  until  a  brother  was 
done  preaching,  and  then  surprize  the  people  by 
suddenly  appearing  before  them."  According- 
ly, I  remained  concealed  until  the  brother  had 
finished  his  discourse,  when  I  rose  up  suddenly 
on  the  stand,  and  with  arms  and  hands  uplifted, 
looked  quietly  on  the  people  for  a  short  time. 
I  then  cried  out : 

''  Here  is  the  man  who  was  said  to  be  dead, 
and  buried  !     He  has  risen  again." 

At  this,  many  of  those  who  had  circulated 
the  evil  report,  looked  as  if  they  were  thunder- 
struck, and  gazed  with  consternation,  as  though 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  87 

one  had  really  risen  from  the  dead.  I  then 
gave  them  some  hard  shots^  on  the  subject  of 
raising  and  circulating  false  reports. 

In  order  to  shov7,  in  what  manner  God  some- 
times brings  sinners  from  the  error  of  their 
ways  unto  himself,  I  will  relate  a  case,  as  stated 
to  me  by  brother  Samuel  Enterline,  member  of 
the  United  Brethren  Pennsylvania  Annual  Con- 
ference. 

"I  was  travelling,"  said  he,  "through  part  of 
Schuylkill  county,  Pa.  When  I  came  towards 
the  foot  of  Broad  Mountain,  intending  to  cross 
it  before  night,  a  heavy  rain  came  up,  by  which 
I  was  completely  drenched.  Being  w^et  to  the 
skin,  and  not  wishing  to  proceed  on  my  route 
through  the  rain,  fearing  also,  that  I  could  not 
cross  the  mountain  before  dark,  I  began  to  look 
out  for  some  farm  house  at  which  to  stay  over 
night.  I  espied  one,  some  distance  from  my 
route.  I  turned  my  horse  towards  it,  and  soon 
found  myself  in  front  of  the  dwelling.  Kiding 
up  to  the  door,  the  owner  presented  himself. 
I  inquired  of  him  : 

"  Can  you  give  me  lodging  in  your  house  to- 
night ? "     He  answered,  inquiringly, 

"  I  don't  know.  Where  are  you  bound  for?" 
I  responded, 


88  autobioCtRaphy  of 

"I  am  Oft  my  way  over  the  mountain,  and 
intended  to  cross  it  before  night.  But,  as  it  is 
raining  so  hard,  I  prefer  making  a  halt  until 
morning.'*     He  replied, 

"  You  look  like  a  preacher.  Are  you  one?" 
1  answered, 

"I  try  to  preach  sometimes."  He  said,  ad- 
dressing his  wife, 

"  Well,  wife !  what  say  you  about  giving 
this  man  quarters  to-night  ?"     She  answered, 

"  I  don't  know  how  we  can  entertain  him. 
We  never  kept  a  preacher  over  night."     I  said, 

"  That  is  no  reason  why  you  should  not  give 
me  lodging.     I  can  pay  for  it."     She  replied, 

"  We  are  not  prepared  to  keep  strangers. 
Our  accommodations  are  not  suitable  for  preach- 
ers."    I  responded, 

"  As  to  that,  I  can  sleep  upon  a  bench,  and 
am  willing  to  take  things  as  they  are.  It  does 
not  require  much  attention,  to  give  me  a  night's 
lodging." 

This  ended  the  preliminaries,  and  I  assure 
you,  I  felt  somewhat  relieved  from  the  fear  of 
a  night's  adventure  in  the  woods,  when  I  heard 
her  say, 

"  Well,  alight  from  your  horse,  and  come  into 
the  house  out  of  the  rain.  We  will  do  the  best 
for  you  we  can." 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  89 

Without  further  interlocution,  I  dismounted 
and  went  into  the  house.  After  some  short 
time  spent  in  conversation  with  the  members  of 
the  family,  mine  host  said,  inquiringly, 

"  Suppose  I  send  out  an  appointment  for  you 
to  preach  in  my  house  to-night.  "Will  you 
preach  for  us  ?"     I  answered, 

"  I  will  try  to  do  so." 

And  so  matters  went  on.  The  appointment 
was  sent  out.  It  being  such  a  rainy  evening, 
however,  none  came  to  it,  save  the  family ;  so 
that  my  congregation  consisted  of  the  host,  his 
wife,  and  several  grown  up  sons  and  daughters. 
I  asked  the  farmer  for  a  Bible.  He  said,  "  he 
had  none  in  the  house."  After  some  time 
spent  in  searching  in  cupboard  corners,  he 
brought  me  a  few  leaves  of  a  worn  out  Lutheran 
hymn  book,  and  a  ragged  scrap  of  an  old  sermon, 
which,  together  with  a  few  school  books,  made 
up  his  library. 

The  congregation  being  seated,  mine  host 
placed  a  chair  just  in  front  of  the  table,  from 
behind  which  I  was  to  hold  forth.  He  seated 
himself  upon  it,  and  fronted  me  with  eyes 
staring  in  my  face,  as  if  he  never  before  had 
seen  a  preacher.  So  I  gave  out  a  hymn,  sung 
and  prayed  ;  and  then  took  a  text  and  com- 
7 


90  AUTOBIOGEAPHY  OF 

menced  to  preach.  By  the  time  I  had  got  about 
the  middle  of  my  discourse,  the  old  sinner  in 
front  of  me  gave  way,  and  fell  from  his  chair  on 
the  floor,  bawling  out:  "  I  must  die !  I  must  die !" 
&c.  The  rest  of  the  family  became  alarmed,  and 
looked  with  consternation,  as  if  old  Nick  had  got 
into  the  room.  His  wife  took  hold  of  him,  not 
knowing  what  was  the  matter,  nor  what  to  do, 
trying  to  lift  him  up.  I  told  her  to  let  him 
alone  ;  that  he  was  not  going  to  die  then,  but 
was  under  conviction.  I  would  pray  for  him. 
By  this  time  he  had  got  upon  his  knees.  I 
kneeled  down  and  prayed  in  his  behalf.  He 
continued  in  agony,  crying  for  mercy.  This 
lasted  about  two  hours.  At  length,  he  fell  from 
his  knees  upon  his  back,  and  lay  as  if  dead. — 
The  family  concluded,  that  he  was  dead,  sure 
enough.  While  he  was  lying  in  this  condition, 
I  sung  a  hymn :  "  There  is  joy  in  heaven,"  &c. 
"While  singing,  he  opened  his  eyes — looked  at 
me — crying  out,  "  I've  got  religion  !  I've  got 
religion  !"  He  then  sprang  to  his  feet,  caught 
me  in  his  arms,  and  after  giving  me  almost  "  a 
hear  squeeze,''  fell  to  the  floor,  taking  me  with 
him.  After  he  became  settled,  he  arose  and 
exhorted  his  family  to  seek  the  Lord,  and  since 
that  time,  that  family  have  all  been  converted 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  91 

and  are  moving  Zion-ward."  And  it  was  just 
in  this  way,  that  the  good  Lord  commenced  a 
work  of  grace  in  these  parts. 


CHAPTER  YIII. 

riRST   UNITED   BRETHREN    PREACHING   IN     CHAMBERS- 
BURG,    FRANKLIN  COUNTY,   PA. 

A  few  years  before  there  were  any  members  of 
the  Church  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ  re- 
siding in  Chambersburg,  Franklin  county,  Pa., 
brothers  John  Crider,  Jacob  Wingert,  and  my- 
self, frequently  preached  in  that  place.  At  first 
we  preached  in  brother  Braiser's  house,  to  more 
hearers  than  the  house  could  hold,  many  listen- 
ing outside,  for  want  of  room  within.  Some 
time  after  this,  in  the  year  1818  or  1819,  father 
John  Oaks,  a  United  brother,  had  settled  with 
his  family  in  Chambersburg,  and  wanted  preach- 
ing in  his  house.  I  then  preached  alternately 
there  and  at  Braiser's.  In  a  short  time  these 
houses  could  not  contain  the  people,  who  would 
come  out  to  hear  the  preaching.  At  one  of 
these  meetings  held  in  father  Oaks'  house,  the 
Spirit  of  God  came  upon  the  people,  like  the 
"  rushing  of  a  mighty  wind."  Many  of  them 
felt  the  power  of  God,  in  a  manner  they  had  not 


92  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

experienced  it  before.  There  was  one  gener- 
al move  among  them  at  that  time,  some  shout- 
ing, leaping  and  praising  God  for  his  mercy,  in 
filling  their  hearts  with  his  love,  joy,  and  peace. 
I  felt  heaven  upon  earth  within  me.  Upon  the 
whole,  we  had  a  glorious  meeting.  Before  dis- 
missing the  people,  I  stated,  that,  if  any  persons 
present  wished  to  unite  together  as  one  body, 
to  serve  the  Lord,  an  opportunity  would  be 
afforded  them  to  do  so.  Twenty-six  persons 
came  forward,  and  attached  themselves  to  the 
Church  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ  at  that 
time.  This  was  the  origin  of  United  Brethren- 
ism  in  Chambersburg. 

I  then  made  an  appointment  for  a  meeting, 
to  be  held,  in  two  weeks  following,  at  brother 
Braiser's,  at  10  o'clock,  A.  M.,  and  also  at  night. 
At  the  time  appointed,  I  preached  there  to  a 
large  congregation.  Many  not  being  able  to 
get  into  the  house,  the  adjoining  alley  was  fill- 
ed with  people. 

Next  morning  brother  Braiser  and  myself 
held  a  consultation  upon  the  necessity  of  build- 
ing a  church  for  our  denomination.  He  at  first 
smiled  at  the  idea  of  raising  money  to  build 
another  church  in  Chambersburg,  since  there 
were  so  many  churches  in  it  already.     I  told 


REV.    SAMUEL    HUBER.  V6 

him  to  get  up  a  subscription  paper  for  that  pur- 
pose. I  would  make  the  start  and  see  what 
could  be  done.  To  this,  after  some  hesitation, 
he  agreed.  After  receiving  the  paper,  I  raised 
by  subscription  about  $500,  from  residents  in 
the  Main  street.  Brothers  Braiser  and  Flinder 
afterwards  raised  on  the  saroe  subscription  list, 
about  $200  more.  A  house  of  worship  was 
then  erected,  in  which  brother  John  Crider  and 
myself  preached  alternately,  every  four  weeks, 
in  the  German  language.  The  congregation, 
at  that  time,  was  mostly  German.  And  be  it 
remembered,  that  the  Church  of  the  United 
Brethren  in  Christ  in  Chambersburg,  was  first 
established  by  the  German  Local  Preachers.  ""^-Z,- 
Subsequent  to  this,  brother  John  Crider,  with 
several  other  local  preachers,  and  myself,  sup- 
plied the  congregation  with  German  preaching 
every  two  weeks,  alternately,  for  the  space  of 
about  four  years.  The  Church  was  then  taken 
into  the  Circuit,  and  the  congregation  supplied 
w^ith  English  and  German  preaching  by  the 
Circuit  preachers. 

Somewhere  about  this  time,  brother  Hablis- 
ton,  J.  Wingert  and  Palmer,  assisted  me  in 
holding  a  protracted  meeting  in  Chambersburg. 
The  work  of  the  Lord  broke  out  in  a  powerful 


94  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

manner.  The  meeting  continued  about  one 
week,  during  which  time  the  mourners'  bench 
was  crowded  with  the  slain.  Old  and  young 
came  to  it,  wrestling  in  prayer  upon  their  knees, 
many  of  whom  were  healed,  and  went  on  their 
.way  rejoicing,  leading  a  new  life.  But  since 
that  time,  it  was  remarked  by  brother  A.  0.,  in 
Conference,  in  relation  to  this  Church,  that,  "if 
the  German  preaching  had  continued  as  it  had 
begun,  it  would  have  been  better,  but  at  pres- 
ent, it  would  be  better  to  dispense  with  it  alto- 
gether." Being  present  at  that  Conference, 
such  an  announcement  as  this  went  deep  into 
my  heart.  ''"What !"  thought  I,  "  is  it  possi- 
ble, that  German  preaching  is  no  longer  needed, 
nor  wanted  in  Chambersburg  ?  Are  there  no 
Germans  there,  who  need  the  word  of  life?" 

The  above  reflections  induced  me  to  call  upon 
brother  David  Oaks.  I  said  to  him,  "  There 
must  be  a  great  change  in  the  Church,  since  I 
was  here  last."  He  inquired,  "  Why  so  ?"  I 
rej)eated  to  him  in  substance,  what  brother  A. 
0.  had  said  in  Conference,  that  "  it  would  be 
better  not  to  have  German  preaching  in  the 
Brethren  Church."  He  replied,  that,  "if  we 
had  the  right  kind  of  German  preachers,  it  would 
do."     I  requested  him  to  make  an  appointment 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  95 

for  me,  which  he  did.  At  the  time  appointed, 
I  attended,  in  company  with  brother  D.  Funk- 
houser.  There  was  a  large  congregation,  com- 
posed of  members  of  different  denominations, 
waiting  to  hear  German  preaching.  Accord- 
ingly, I  preached  in  that  language,  after  which, 
brother  Funkhouser  followed  with  a  German 
exhortation.  After  the  meeting  was  closed, 
brother  D.  Oaks  remarked,  that,  "  there  could 
not  be  collected  a  more  respectable  congrega- 
tion in  Franklin  county,  than  the  one  that  had 
been  assembled."  Brother  Funkhouser  and 
myself  continued  to  preach  alternately  to  the 
congregation  in  German  for  about  eight  years, 
during  which  time  a  number  of  German  fami- 
lies united  with  it,  until  the  commencement  of 
brother  B.  Eaber's  administration  over  it.  He 
preaches  in  German  and  in  English.  All  this 
goes  to  show,  that  brother  A.  O.'s  opinion  re- 
specting German  preaching  here,  was  wide  of 
the  mark,  and  proves  to  a  demonstration,  the 
inconsistency  of  judging  such  matters  accord- 
ing to  his  own  notions. 

The  annexed  statement  was  furnished  me  by 
brother  David  Oaks : 

"  In  the  year  1822  or  1823,  in  consequence  of 
the  increase  of  members  in  the  congregation  of 


9G  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

the  Church  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ, 
in  Chambersburg,  (corresponding  with  brother 
Huber's  prior  statement)  a  house  of  worship  was 
erected  on  south  Second  street.  To  aid  in 
building  it,  some  of  the  brethren  from  the  coun- 
try, came  with  their  teams,  hauling  stone,  lum- 
ber, &c.  The  first  Trustees  were,  Henry  Flin- 
der,  Samuel  Huber  and  John  Oaks,  Sr.  Sam- 
uel Huber  is  yet  a  Trustee.  It  is  now  thirty- 
five  years  since  the  church  was  occupied.  In 
the  year  1852,  the  old  church  was  taken  down, 
and  a  larger  one  erected  in  its  place.  The  num- 
ber of  members  continued  to  increase,  and  the 
congregation  now  numbers  nearly  two  hundred 
members.  In  the  course  of  the  time  elapsed, 
many  have  been  converted,  a  number  of  whose 
spirits  now  swell  the  happy  triumphs  of  creating 
and  redeeming  love,  and  bask  in  the  sunshine 
of  eternal  day." 

At  the  time  brother  John  Russel  was  station- 
ed in  Baltimore,  on  one  occasion  I  paid  him  a 
visit.  There  were  present  six  German  preach- 
ers, one  of  whom  had  been  a  Roman  Catholic 
priest,  but  had  come  out  from  Babylon.  A  re- 
ligious meeting  being  in  progress  in  the  Otter- 
bein  church  at  the  time,  preaching  and  exhor- 
tation were  had  every  evening,  and  on  Sunday 


B,EV.    SAMUEL   HTTBER.  97 

morning  at  10  o'clock,  in  the  German  language. 
The  word  was  sealed  with  the  approbation  of 
the  Holy  Spirit.  It  flew  like  shot  sent  into  a 
flock  of  pigeons,  killing  and  maiming  many. 
Deep  and  pungent  were  the  convictions  wrought 
in  some,  whilst  others  were  quickened  by  it. 
From  twenty  to  thirty  mourners  presented 
themselves  every  night  at  the  mourners'  bench, 
soliciting  prayer  in  their  behalf  It  was  like 
unto  the  "  day  of  Pentecost ;"  some  falling 
down,  imploring  mercy — others  shouting  victo- 
ry, having  got  through  the  pangs  of  the  new 
birth — Christians  praising  God  for  all  his  bene- 
fits towards  them,  whilst  others  gazed  on  with 
astonishment. 

Amongst  those  who  came  out,  seeking  par- 
don, were  old  gray  headed  sinners,  who  had 
been  slaves  to  their  father,  the  devil,  during  their 
past  lives.  It  was  a  heart-cheering  sight  to 
God's  people,  to  behold  these  old  sinners,  some 
of  them  with  walking  stafi*s  in  their  hands 
trembling  under  age  and  infirmity,  with  totter- 
ing step3  making  their  way  to,  and  kneeling  at, 
the  mourners'  bench.  One  old  man,  with  a 
stafiF  in  each  hand,  came  bending  forward  and 
fell  upon  his  knees  in  agony,  weeping  and  pray- 
ing, until  he  was  blest.     Wonderful  are  the 


98  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    QF 

mercies  of  God,  in  the  conversion  of  old  sin- 
ners ! 

A  Roman  Catholic  young  woman  attended 
the  meeting,  whose  heart  the  Spirit  of  God 
reached.  She  became  deeply  convicted  of  her 
sins.  In  this  state  of  feeling,  she  came  to  the 
mourners'  bench  one  evening,  seeking  pardon. 
She  did  not,  however,  receive  the  blessing  at 
that  time.  In  her  distress,  she  afterwards  went 
to  the  priest,  as  I  was  told,  confessing  her  sins, 
and  gave  him  one  dollar  to  pardon  them.  He 
pronounced  them  pardoned  ;  but  her  load  of  guilt 
still  remained  upon  her  heart.  She  came  out 
again  to  the  bench,  continuing  in  prayer ;  when 
the  Great  High  Priest,  Jesus  of  ITazareth,  seal- 
ed the  pardon  to  her  soul.  She  sprang  up  from 
her  knees,  shouting,  "  There  is  none  but  Je- 
sus ;  none  but  Jesus  can  pardon  sin."  She 
went  through  the  congregation,  exhorting  her 
companions  to  flee  to  Jesus  for  pardon,  and  not 
to  the  priest ;  as  she  had  tried  him,  and  he  had 
done  her  no  good.  Next  day  when  in  company 
with  some  of  her  Catholic  sisters,  she  gave  vent 
to  her  happy  feelings  by  singing  hymns.  One 
of  them  remarked, 

"  Why  !  you  seem  to  be  very  happy.  "What 
makes  you  so  ?"     She  replied : 


REV.  SAMUEL    HUBER.  99 

"  Yes,  this  is  the  happiest  day  I  ever  spent  in 
my  life.  Jesns  has  pardoned  my  sins.  Oh  ! 
Jane,  if  you  want  to  be  happy,  come  to  Jesus. 
He  forgave  me  my  sins,  without  money  or  price. 
You  can  get  the  same  kind  of  blessing,  if  you 
will  go  to  the  Protestant  meeting,  and  pray  to 
God." 

That  evening  she  brought  Jane  to  the  meet- 
ing, who  also  obtained  true  religion,  and  went 
forth,  leaping  and  praising  her  Saviour — ex- 
horting sinners  to  flee  the  wrath  to  come.  Many 
souls  were  converted,  most  of  whom  were  for- 
eign Germans.  They  had  left  their  "  Father 
Land  "  to  inherit  another  country,  and,  by  this 
means,  were  made  subjects  of  a  kingdom, 
whose  boundaries  extend  beyond  earth's  cares, 
and  to  which  they  have  a  title  of  inheritance, 
provided  they  prove  faithful  to  the  end  of  their 
earthly  career. 

The  preacher,  who  had  come  out  from  among 
the  Romish  priesthood,  gave  me  the  following 
narrative :     He  said, 

"  I  had  been  an  ordained  priest,  in  the  city  of 
Rome,  for  seven  years,  during  w^hich  time  I  had 
not  READ  the  Bible,  and  knew  but  little  of  its 
contents.  At  one  time,  when  setting  upon  a 
a  bench  in  front  of  my  house,  a  book  pedlar 


100  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OP 

came  along,  oiFering  his  articles  for  sale. — 
Among  them,  I  saw  a  pamphlet  written  by  a 
woman,  who  had  been  a  Roman  Catholic,  but 
had  renounced  Catholicism,  and  went  to  anoth- 
er country,  where  she  published  the  book.  In 
it,  she  gave  a  statement  of  her  experience,  and 
why  she  renounced  popery,  and  to  prove  that  she 
was  correct  in  so  doing,  she  made  a  number  of 
references  to  the  Holy  Scriptures.  The  reading 
of  this  pamphlet  created  an  anxiety  in  my  mind 
to  read  the  Scriptures ;  but  not  having  them  in 
my  possession,  I  went  to  the  Bishop,  requesting 
the  loan  of  a  Bible.  He  gave  me  one,  at  the  same 
time,  cautioning  me  not  to  read  too  much  of  it 
at  one  time,  fearing  it  would  lead  me  astray, 
and  adding,  it  was  a  book  to  be  read  only  by 
the  Bishops,  such  of  them  as  were  firmly  estab- 
lished in  the  doctrines  of  the  Church. 

After  I  received  the  Bible,  and  began  to  read 
its  contents,  I  became  so  much  interested  in  its 
precepts,  that,  without  respect  to  the  Bishop's 
injunctions,  I  continued  to  peruse  it  almost  day 
and  night,  and  by  comparing  my  experience 
and  knowledge  of  Romanism  with  the  Bible,  I 
was  convinced,  that  the  Church  of  Rome  is  the 
antichrist  spoken  of  in  the  Scripture.  I  besought 
God  for  heavenly  wisdom  and  knowledge.    He 


EEV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  101 

imparted  it  to  me.  1  found  that  peace,  wliich 
passetli  understanding.  I  now  saw  plainly  that 
the  Romish  priests  were  not  God's  prophets, 
and  that  they  were  in  almost  total  darkness  re- 
specting the  nature  of  true  religion.  God's 
ministers  receive  their  instructions  from  the 
Bible  and  inspiration;  but  Romish  priests  de- 
rive theirs  from  dogmas,  authorizing  creeds  and 
practices  contrary  to  the  precepts  of  the  Bible. 
Romanism  makes  no  converts  through  convert- 
ing grace.  Its  proselytes  are  made  through 
outward  shows,  such  as  splendid  cathedrals — 
churches — colleges,  and  other  accessible  insti- 
tutions, fitted  up  with  beauty  and  splendor  to 
please  the  eye.  By  such  means  mankind  are 
captivated  and  led  astray  from  the  truth  of  the 
Bible,  through  the  Roman  Catholic  Church. 

In  view  of  these  things,  I  thought  it  my  duty 
to  cry  aloud  against  the  errors  of  Popery.  .1 
called  upon  my  brother-in-law,  a  Lutheran,  and 
informed  him,  of  the  change  wrought  in  my 
heart.  I  told  him,  that  I  intended  to  preach 
against  popery,  and  point  out  to  the  people  the 
great  wrong  done  them  by  the  priesthood,  in 
withholding  the  Scriptures  from  them.  He  ad- 
vised me  to  keep  quiet  upon  that  subject ;  for  if 
I  spoke  in  that  manner,  ihe  priests  would  soon 


102  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

put  me  out  of  the  way.  He,  however,  added, 
that,  if  I  felt  it  my  duty  to  preach  against  the 
errors  of  the  Church,  I  should  go  to  France, 
where  there  was  more  liberty  to  preach  among 
the  Protestants. 

Accordingly,  I  left  Eome,  and  the  Eoman 
Catholic  Church,  and  went  to  France.  After 
arriving  there,  I  sought  acquaintance  with  Pro- 
testant ministers — gave  them  my  views  respect- 
ing Romanism — told  them  I  intended  to  preach 
against  it,  &c.  I  was  informed,  that,  if  I  did  so 
in  France,  my  preaching  would  be  for  a  very 
short  time.  The  priests  would  soon  give  me 
the  quietus.  They  advised  me  to  go  to  Eng- 
land, and  furnished  me  with  proper  recommen- 
dations. 

Seeing  my  way  shut  up  here,  I  embarked  for 
England.  After  arriving  there,  I  became  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Church  and  a  preacher 
among  them  ;  and  being  acquainted  with  six 
different  languages,  I  was  sent  by  that  Church 
as  a  missionary  to  the  heathen.  When  I  arriv- 
ed amongst  them  with  my  wife,  they  would  not 
permit  us  to  come  into  their  dwellings.  I  in- 
quired of  them,  why  they  would  not  receive  us  ? 
It  was  answered,  that  they  themselves  read  the 
Bible,  and  it  spoke  against  lying,  stealing,  mur- 


KEV.   SAMUEL  HUBER.  103 

der,  debauchery,  and  all  such  bad  things,  which 
the  Christians  were  always  doing.  From  this, 
they  concluded,  that  they,  the  Christians,  did 
not  believe  the  Bible,  or  they  would  not  do  such 
bad  things.  Therefore,  they  did  not  want  the 
Christians  to  send  missionaries  amongst  them, 
to  teach  doctrines  which  they  neither  believe  nor 
lived  up  to  themselves,  alleging,  that  the  heath- 
en did  not  do  such  evil  things,  and  could  live 
better  without  the  missionaries,  and  so  matters 
stood.  My  wife  and  myself  had  to  make  our 
bed  during  six  months,  under  a  white  oak  tree. 
After  this,  we  were  permitted  to  live  in  a  hut. 
As  I  found,  after  three  year's  trial,  that  I  could 
do  no  good  here,  I  left  and  returned  to  England. 
From  thence,  I  came  to  America." 

Before  I  close  this  chapter,  I  will  give  an  ac- 
count of  an  old  church,  as  it  was  related  to  me 
by  a  Baltimorean. 

There  was  an  old  Methodist  church,  located 
in  the  city  of  Baltimore,  in  which  the  congrega- 
tion worshipping  there,  had  enjoyed  many  sea- 
sons of  spiritual  refreshing  from  the  presence 
of  the  Lord.  In  the  progress  of  time,  as  the 
population,  pride,  and  wealth  of  the  city  increas- 
ed, it  was  thought  by  the  "  elite  "  of  this  con- 
gregation, that  the  old  church  stood  too  far  out 


104  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OP 

of  the  way.  It  was  inconvenient  for  the  "par 
excellence^''  and  had  become  unpopular.  A  new 
churcli  should,  therefore,  be  erected,  more  con- 
tiguous to  the  dwellings  of  the  higher  classes. 
To  this  the  congregation  should  be  removed, 
and  worship  there,  instead  of  in  the  old  church. 
It  was  also  predicted  at  the  same  time,  that 
much  more  good  would  be  accomplished  by  the 
change.  It  did  not  enter  into  the  brains  of 
those  fashionable  prophets,  that  the  Lord  has  as 
much  regard  for  the  unpopular  and  poor  portion 
of  society,  as  he  has  for  those  who  live  in  splen- 
did houses. 

Accordingly,  a  new  church  was  erected  in  a 
more  popular  and  fashionable  part  of  the  city. 
The  con  o-re  oration  removed  from  the  old  church 
into  the  new  one,  to  worship.  But  some  how 
or  other,  things  would  not  move  on  right. 
The  preaching  was  powerless,  exhortations  dry, 
prayer  lifeless,  and  singing  insipid,  l^o  stir, 
w^hatever  could  be  raised  amongst  the  people, 
when  they  met  in  the  new  church  to  worship. 
The  meetings  concluded  as  they  began,  in  a 
dead  form  of  worship,  greatly  to  the  discourage- 
ment of  the  spiritual  and  living  part  of  the  con- 
gregation.    And  thus  matters  went  on. 

During  this  time,   there   was  an   old   local 


REV.  SAMUEL   HUBER*  105 

preacher  belonging  to  the  same  congregation, 
living  not  far  from  the  old  church.  He  would 
often  call  to  his  remembrance  the  good  old 
meetings  he  had  experienced  in  it,  and  how  he 
had  been  blessed  in  preaching — in  prayer  and 
class  meetings.  Along  with  this,  he  remember- 
ed also  the  happy  moments  and  joyful  seasons, 
which,  in  conjunction  with  his  brethren,  he  "  oft 
times  felt  on  Canaan's  road,"  when  worshipping 
in  the  good  old  weather  beaten  church.  Pon- 
dering over  these  things,  his  heart  felt  bowed 
down  with  sorrow,  to  think  that  these  good  old 
fashioned  religious  meetings  were  n(5  longer  in 
continuance  there.  Influenced  by  such  reflec- 
tions, he  thought  he  would  go  into  the  old  do- 
main by  himself,  and,  in  secret  prayer,  wait 
upon  the  Lord,  believing,  that,  as  the  Lord  had 
formerly  revealed  the  arm  of  his  power  in  it, 
he  had  not  forsaken  the  place,  although  the  con- 
ffreo-ation  had  done  so.  "With  such  views,  he 
obtained  the  key  of  the  old  chm*ch — went  there 
every  evening  for  some  time — knelt  down  in 
the  altar,  and  plead  with  God  in  secret  prayer. 
The  people  in  the  neighborhood,  seeing  him  re- 
sort to  the  church  so  frequently,  became  curious 
to  know  what  he  was  doing  there.  In  order  to 
ascertain  this,  some  of  them  followed,  and  dis- 
8 


106  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

covering  his  object,  went  in  with  him,  and  en- 
gaged in  prayer  also.  Thus  the  number  in- 
creased from  time  to  time,  until  the  house  be- 
came filled  with  people.  He  then  began  to 
preach  to  them,  when  a  revival  of  religion  broke 
out,  in  which  over  one  hundred  souls  were  con- 
verted to  God  in  the  old  church  during  that 
winter.  So  much  for  holding  on  in  the  good 
old  way. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

BUSn  AND  CAMP  MEETINGS — TRAFEICERS  EXPELLED. 

Some  years  ago,  we  held  a  meeting  near  Reo- 
mer's  school  house,  on  the  Warm  Spring  road, 
Franklin  county,  Pa.  The  Methodist  and  Uni- 
ted Brethren  union  tents  were  set  up  together. 
The  meeting  was  appointed  by  brother  Augus- 
tus Bickly  and  Jeremiah  Senseny.  At  their  re- 
quest, brother  JaA)b  Wingert  and  myself  attend- 
ed. Preaching  commenced  on  Saturday  evening, 
and  was  continued  on  Sunday  morning  and  at 
night.  At  the  10  o'clock  meeting  on  Monday 
morning,  one  woman  was  brought  under  con- 
viction, and  soon  obtained  the  blessing.  In  the 
evening  the  work  of  God  broke  out  in  torrents 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBEE  107 

of  power.  Seven  mourners  came  to  the  benchj, 
calling  for  mercy,  most  of  whom  got  religion 
that  night. 

The  meeting  was  continued  during  the  week. 
On  the  following  Sunday  crowds  of  people  at- 
tended. I  baptized  three  persons  in  the  creek 
not  far  from,  the  meeting  ground.  In  the  even- 
ing preaching  was  continued.  The  work  was 
still  in  progress.  Eighteen  persons  professed  to 
have  passed  from  death  unto  life  during  this 
meeting.  At  the  close  of  the  meeting,  there 
was  deep  religious  feeling,  which  was  expressed 
in  various  ways  ;  some  by  means  of  rolling  tears 
— others  with  clapping  of  hands — some  by 
shouting,  'kc.  Altogether,  it  was  a  scene  of 
thanksgiving  for  what  the  Head  of  the  Church 
had  done  for  their  souls.  We  parted,  rejoicing 
on  our  journey  home. 

At  one  time,  in  company  with  brother  l^ew- 
comer,  I  went  to  a  camp  meeting  below  York, 
Pa.,  held  on  brother  Hershinger's  land.  A 
goodly  number  of  old  and  young  preachers  at- 
tended. The  preachers  came  to  this  meeting 
armed  with  the  whole  armor  of  God.  Having 
the  "  7naterial,"  the  grace  of  God  in  their  hearts, 
they  sent  forth  firebrands  and  arrows  in  al- 
most every  direction.     The  power  of  God  came 


108  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   01* 

down  like  the  cataract  which  thunders  down  the 
Niagara,  sweeping  in  its  current  all  before  it. 
Sinners  were  cut  to  the  heart.  Some  fell  upon 
the  ground,  crying  aloud  for  mercy.  Others 
were  groaning  in  agony,  unable  to  express  their 
feelings.  Some  were  shouting,  and  others  look- 
ing on  with  amazement,  wondering  at  such  pro- 
ceedings. So  great  was  the  excitement  one 
night,  that  preaching  was  dispensed  with* 
Talking  to  the  mourners — singing— and  prayer 
were  continued  during  the  night.  The  work 
went  on  bravely.  There  the  devil  lost  some  of 
his  old  gray-headed  servants.  Such  are  rare 
cases  to  be  sure.  It  is  seldom  that  old  harden- 
ed sinners,  after  spending  the  greater  part  of 
their  time  in  the  devil's  service,  get  religion. 
Nevertheless  there  are  some  who  do.  God's 
mercy  is  not  to  be  limited  by  man's  compre- 
hension. Deep  and  mysterious  are  the  ways  of 
him,  who  "  plants  his  footsteps  in  the  sea  and 
maketh  his  chariot  in  the  clouds." 

One  old  man  came  running  up  into  the 
preachers'  stand,  and  threw  himself  down  in  it, 
exclaiming :  "  Here  lies  one  old  damned  sin- 
ner. Pray  for  me  before  the  devil  gets  me." 
Much  prayer  was  offered  in  his  behalf.  Ere 
long  he  obtained  reconciling  mercy. 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  109 

Another  old  man  was  seen  shouting  by  him- 
self outside  of  the  altar.  I  went  up  to  him,  in- 
quiring, "  how  it  was  that  he  got  blest  by  him- 
self." He  answered,  that  "he  had  come  to  the 
camp  meeting  merely  to  pass  time,  having  no 
idea  that  these  people  would  work  npon  his 
mind.  But,  by  listening  to  the  preaching,  and 
observing  the  scenes  of  the  meeting,  he  discov- 
erved,  that  he  was  in  a  sinful  and  lost  condition, 
which  caused  him  to  pray,  casting  himself  upon 
God's  mercy  through  Jesus  Christ.  God  blest 
him,  and  that  made  him  praise  the  Lord  in  the 
way  he  was  doing."  It  was  truly  a  pleasing 
scene,  to  see  and  to  hear  this  old  gray-headed 
man  shouting  "  victory  to  God  and  the  Lamb." 

Thirty-two  persons  came  forward  at  the  close 
of  the  meeting,  and  gave  in  their  names  as  those 
who  had  obtained  a  saving  interest  in  the  mer- 
its of  Jesus  Christ.  After  this  we  left  the  meet- 
ing, thanking  God  for  the  salvation  of  man- 
kind. 

At  another  time,  I  attended  a  camp  meeting 
near  Turkey  Hill,  Lancaster  county.  Pa.  A 
great  many  preachers  of  different  religious  de- 
nominations were  present.  A  consultation  was 
held,  respecting  the  propriety  of  placing  a  guard 
throughout  the  camp,  for  the  purpose  of  keep- 


110  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF 

ing  order.  After  some  talk  about  the  matteiv 
it  was  decided  against  the  measure.  The  ob- 
jectors said,  "  We  want  no  guard.  We  look 
to  the  Lord  to  guard  us." 

So,  after  the  Christians  had  assembled  and 
pitched  their  tents,  Satan  also  came  among 
them,  in  the  shape  of  beer-sellers,  rum-deal- 
ers, and  trafficers  in  merchandize  of  various 
kinds.  These  agents  of  Satan  backed  their 
wagons  in  between  the  tents,  and  kept  dealing 
out  their  traffic  in  great  cheer,  without  restraint. 
There  were  to  be  seen  some  drinking  rum — 
beer — and  eating  cakes,  apples,  &c. ;  others 
having  tobacco  leaves  rolled  up  in  the  shape  of 
cigars,  between  their  teeth,  puffing  out  volumes 
of  smoke  from  their  mouth,  like  the  escape  of 
steam  through  the  leak  of  a  steam  boiler ;  oth- 
ers again,  having  large  quids  of  tobacco  be- 
tween their  cheeks,  kept  squirting  its  juice  over 
the  seats.  Dandies  in  human  shapes,  with  their 
arms  interlocked  with  those  of  females  of  the 
same  stamp,  were  strolling '  over  the  ground. 
Rowdies  of  all  sorts,  sizes  and  costumes,  with 
whips  in  hand,  were  scampering  about — walk- 
ing over  the  seats  in  order  to  raise  a  dust  Some 
were  standing  in  the  altar,  embracing  their 
lasses,  with  their  arms  around  their  necks.    It 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  Ill 

appeared  as  if  the  flood  gates  of  pandemonium 
had  broken  loose. 

The  whole  presented  a  scene,  more  like  unto 
a  market — or  fair,  in  full  exercise,  than  that  of 
a  religious  camp  meeting.  In  short,  to  an  ob- 
server who  did  not  believe  in  the  existence  of 
the  soul  in  the  human  body,  the  aphorism  of 
"Father  Gruber,"  when  he  said,  alluding  to 
rowdies  at  a  camp  meeting,  "  There  th6y  go, 
like  a  pair  of  fire  tongs,  with  two  legs — one 
head — without  a  soul,"  would  have  given  the 
most  correct  illustration  of  the  two  legged  ani- 
mals on  the  camp  ground.  Those  brethren, 
who  were  opposed  to  placing  a  guard  or  the 
ground  to  keep  order,  began  to  find  out  that 
they  were  too  weak  in  faithj  and  that  they  had 
made  wrong  calculations,  by  expecting  God  to 
do  for  them  what  they  had  the  ability  to  do  for 
themselves.  For  it  was  plainly  to  be  seen,  that 
the  Lord  did  not  put  a  stop  to  the  evil  at  the 
time.  Hence  we  infer,  that,  to  depend  i^pon 
God  to  do  a  loork  for  us,  which  lies  within  the 
sphere  of  our  own  faculties,  is  presumption,  and 
not  true  faith. 

But  we  must  return  to  the  proceedings  of 
the  meeting.  On  Saturday  night  preaching 
was  attempted ;  but  such  was  the  continued  con- 


112  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

fusion  and  inattention  of  the  people,  caused  by 
the  disorderly  conduct  of  the  unruly  part  of  the 
large  assembled  multitude,  that  it  was  given 
over  for  that  night.  Matters  being  thus  situ- 
ated, it  was  thought  necessary  to  have  recourse 
to  the  proper  authorities,  in  order  to  put  a  stop 
to  the  traffic  and  disorder  on  the  ground.  But 
there  were  few  persons  at  the  time,  who  had  the 
moral  courage  to  make  complaint.  Next  morn- 
ing, brother  Joseph  Hoffman  and  myself  spoke 
to  a  Magistrate,  who  was  then  on  the  ground, 
requesting  him  to  enforce  the  laws,  and  have 
those  "  dealers  "  removed.  It  so  happened, 
however,  that  this  '^Squire''  was  one  of  that 
sort  of  officials  who  connive  at  the  violation  of 
law,  even  when  done  in  their  own  presence, 
having  the  fear  of  the  world  more  than  the  fear 
of  God  before  their  eyes. 

At  first  he  refused  to  interfere  in  the  matter, 
assigning  as  a  reason  why  he  should  not,  that 
there  were  too  many  trafficers  to  dispose  of. 
Many  of  them  were  influential  characters. 
Therefore,  it  would  be  impossible  to  oust  them. 
He  no  doubt  feared,  that,  if  he  molested  them, 
his  popularity  and  interest  might  be  at  stake. 
Being  determined,  however,  to  put  a  stop  to  the 
molestations  of  the  meeting,  I  told  him,  that  if 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  113 

he  did  not  do  his  duty  in  the  case,  as  a  Magis- 
trate, we  would  have  him  indicted  in  the  Lan- 
caster county  Court  for  non-performance.  This 
did  ihe  business.  Fearing  a  prosecution,  he 
commenced  operations  upon  the  transgressors, 
by  explaining  to  them  the  laws  in  the  ease.-  In 
a  few  hours,  trafficers — ^beer — cakes — rum — 
horses  and  wagons  disappeared  from  the  ground. 
Order  was  then  restored.  There  was  no  fur- 
ther opposition  to  the  progress  of  the  meeting 
from  that  source. 

Preaching,  exhortation,  singing  and  prayer 
then  commenced.  Much  power  attended  the 
religious  exercises.  Brother  Gideon  Smith  and 
Joseph  IlTeiding,  with  some  others,  got  religion 
there,  as  I  was  informed.  "When  Neiding  was 
blest,  his  father  being  present,  exclaimed,  "  It 
is  enough,  my  son  Joseph  is  made  alive." 

In  company  with  brother  John  Crider,  I  left 
the  camp,  and  went  to  a  protracted  meeting  in 
Pfoutz's  Valley,  at  brother  Hoffman's.  Here 
believers  were  stirred  up  through  the  word 
preached.  It  was,  what  was  then  called,  a  good 
time  amongst  the  professors.  Leaving  this 
place,  homeward,  we  crossed  the  Juniata  river, 
near  Millerstown,  and  went  through  Raccoon 
Valley,  across  the  mountain,  to  Sherman's  Val" 


114  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

ley.  When  we  arrived  at  Sherman's  Valley 
creek,  it  had  swollen  to  a  great  height ;  and 
what  made  the  passage  more  dangerous,  it  was 
night  and  very  dark.  Brother  Crider,  ri(Jing  a 
safe  horse,  went  into  the  creek  first,  in  order  to 
souiid  the  way.  He  had  not  proceeded  far  be- 
fore his  horse  was  middle  deep  in  water.  I^ot 
thinking  it  safe  to  proceed,  he  returned  out  of 
the  water.  We  were  at  a  loss  what  course  to 
pursue.  On  looking  around  us,  we  saw  a  light 
at  some  distance,  proceeded  towards  it  and  came 
to  a  house.  A  man  came  out.  We  made  in- 
quiries respecting  the  passage  of  the  creek,  and 
informed  him  that  we  had  an  appointment  to 
preach  at  Peter  Brown's  that  evening.  He  told 
us  that  no  person  could  cross  the  creek  in  its 
present  condition,  without  knowing  the  proper 
fording.  He  went  with  us  a  considerable  dis- 
tance, carrying  a  lighted  candle,  and  gave  us  the 
proper  directions  to  cross  the  creek.  We  then 
proceeded  on  our  course  and  arrived  safe,  about 
9  o'clock,  at  brother  Peter  Brown's  house, 
where  a  large  congregation  was  waiting  for  us. 
We  were  both  fatigued,  and  hungry,  having 
traveled  a  great  distance  that  day  without  much 
refreshment.  But,  as  the  people  were  waiting 
so  long,   we  had  to  preach  and  exhort  before 


KEV.    SAMUEL    HUBER.  115 

eating  supper.  We  had  a  good  meeting.  Next 
morning  we  resumed  our  journey,  and  arrived 
safely  at  home,  after  riding  seventy-five  miles  in 
two  days.  This  was  the  most  wearisome  jour- 
ney I  ever  made. 


CHAPTEE  X. 

CURIOUS    NOTIONS — CAMP  MEETINGS — WAGONERS  SCA- 
RED. 

There  are  some  people,  who,  when  they  adopt 
an  opinion  with  regard  to  external  forms  in  re- 
ligion, at  once  conclude,  that  they  are  the  only 
right  sort  oi  folks  in  the  world,  and  that  there  is 
no  other  way  to  be  converted  than  in  the  same 
outward  position,  in  which  they  obtained  the 
pardon  of  their  sins.  By  outward  position,  we 
mean,  either  sitting,  kneeling,  standing,  or  ly- 
ing on  the  ground  in  praj^er ;  or  sprinkling,  im- 
mersion backward  or  forward,  in  baptism. 
Some  weak-minded,  good  meaning  people  will 
tell  us,  that,  inasmuch  as  they  got  religion  in  a 
certain  position,  there  is  no  other  way  to  obtain 
it,  except  that  in  which  they  experienced  it. 
l!^ow,  according  to  holy  writ,  it  must  be  admit- 
ted, that  there  is  but  one  right  way  to  come  to 


IIG  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

God  for  pardon  of  sin,  and  that  is,  by  "  re- 
pentance towards  God,  and  faith  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ."  To  this  doctrine,  all  true  Chris- 
tians do  and  must  assent.  But,  with  regard  to 
the  bodily  posture  at  the  time  of  passing  through 
the  "New  Birth,"  there  is,  and  may  be,  a  dif- 
ference. Though  this  is  not  material  in  itself, 
yet,  such  is  the  force  of  first  impressions  made 
upon  the  mind  in  certain  cases,  especially  when 
the  change  undergone  is  great  and  sudden,  that 
it  takes  years  of  experience  to  remove  them,  if 
they  are  removed  at  all. 

Now,  to  show  the  inconsistency  of  holding  on 
with  an  obstinate  grasp  to  the  single  idea,  that 
there  is  but  one  posture  in  which  a  person  can 
get  blest,  I  will  relate  a  few  cases,  as  they  were 
given  to  me  : 

"  A  certain  man,  living  in  Lancaster  county, 
Pa.,  some  years  ago,  got  under  conviction,  and 
began  to  pray  to  God.  He  went  about  praying 
in  almost  every  corner  for  a  long  time,  without 
finding  relief.  It  came  into  his  mind  one  day, 
that,  if  he  wanted  to  get  religion,  he  must  be 
baptized  by  immersion.  At  once  he  resolved 
to  do  so,  and  when  he  went  into  the  water  he 
had  faith  that  God  would  bless  him,  and  so  it 
turned  out.     He  got  religion  in  the  very  act  of 


HEV.   SAMUEL  HUBER.  117 

immersion.  From  this  he  argued,  that,  as  he 
had  been  seeking  the  Lord  for  a  long  time,  but 
did  not  find  him,  until  he  went  under  the  water,  so 
that  Was  the  only  true  way,  and  there  is  no  other, 
through  which  to  obtain  religion.  And  as  he 
was  one  of  those  kind  of  religionists,  who  are 
always  trying  to  blow  their  own  notions  into  oth- 
er persons'  brains,  this  was  his  theme  wherever 
he  went.  It  was  nothing  but  under  water  bap- 
tism with  him.  At  the  same  time,  he  found 
fault  with  his  brethren  for  not  adopting  the 
same  faith,  and  undergoing  the  like  process." 

At  one  time,  when  arguing  in  favor  of  his 
iojpic  with  the  Eev.  Christopher  Grosh,  the  latter 
told  him,  that  ^'  he  knew  a  man  who  had  been 
awakened  to  a  sense  of  his  sins,  and  went  about 
from  place  to  place,  seeking  the  Lord  in  prayer, 
just  as  he  had  done.  At  one  time  this  person 
was  in  his  barn  on  his  knees,  when  it  came  in- 
to his  mind,  that  he  should  go  up  into  the  gar- 
ret in  his  house  to  pray.  Following  the  im- 
pression, he  arose  from  his  knees — left  the  barn 
— went  into  the  house — and  in  the  act  of  going 
up  the  stairs,  before  reaching  the  garret,  his 
soul  was  set  at  liberty.  This  proves,"  continu- 
ed Grosh,  "that  a  person  can  be  converted 
without  immersion  ;  for  it  is  not  likely  that  he 


118  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

could  be  dipped  under  water  in  the  act  of  ascend- 
ing the  stairs  in  a  house."  The  immersionist 
was  ''  mum.''' 

Another  case:  Brother  Bowlus  told  me,  that 
there  was  a  young  man  employed  in  his  factory, 
who  was  seeking  religion  for  a  length  of  time 
before  he  found  it.  During  this  time  he  had 
some  strange  notions  in  his  head.  Wherever 
he  went  to  pray,  it  was  suggested,  that  he  could 
not  be  blest  there.  He  must  go  to  another 
place.  When  he  went  to  another  place,  he  was 
impressed  with  the  idea,  that  that  was  not  the 
right  place  yet.  One  night,  while  in  prayer  in 
the  factory,  it  was  suggested  to  his  mind,  that 
he  should  go  out  into  the  South  mountain,  near 
by,  to  pray.  He  arose  from  his  knees- — went 
up  into  mountain — kept  wandering  about  until 
day  break — and  not  finding  peace  to  his  heart, 
he  returned  towards  the  factory,  plunging 
through  mud  and  water.  He  went  into  the 
factory — knelt  down — wrestled  in  prayer,  and 
got  the  blessing.  Brother  Bowlus  said,  "  that 
he  thought,  the  devil  was  fooling  the  young 
man  all  the  time."  The  reader  may  form  his 
own  opinion  about  these  cases.  In  the  mean 
time,  I  will  resume  my  narrative. 

At  a  big  meeting  held  at  brother  John 


REV.   SAMUEL   HUBEK.  119 

Shank's,  near  Millerstown,  Lebanon  county. 
Pa.,  the  seed  of  God's  word  was  sown.  Many 
embraced  religion.  The  work  spread  from 
there  throughout  the  surrounding  country.  In 
about  one  year,  upwards  of  one  hundred  per- 
sons professed  to  have  experienced  a  change  of 
heart.  From  there,  in  company  with  brother 
John  Crider,  I  went  to  Lebanon  and  preached 
in  father  Lightich's  house.  Brothers  Gideon 
Smith  and  Jacob  Erb  assisted  at  this  meeting. 
After  leaving  this  meeting,  on  our  way  home, 
brother  Crider  and  myself  preached  in  Mil- 
lerstown, Spring  creek,  Shupp's  church  and 
Stoughstown. 

Some  years  ago,  at  the  request  of  several  Lu- 
theran and  German  Eeformed  brethren,  I  was 
sent  for,  and  conveyed  in  a  sleigh  to  a  meeting 
at  ISTew  Franklin,  Franklin  county.  Pa.  I 
preached  on  Saturday  night.  Sabbath  morning 
at  10  o'clock,  and  in  the  evening.  There  was  a 
goodly  number  of  mourners.  I  intended  to 
close  the  meeting  for  that  night,  in  consequence 
of  the  crowded  state  of  the  house.  I  accord- 
ingly told  the  brethren  that  the  mourners  had 
better  be  taken  to  a  private  house  for  prayer. 
At  this  a  woman  spoke  out :  "  What !  shall  we 
break  up  the  meeting,  when  five  persons  are 


120  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OP 

lying  upon  the  floor  in  distress !" 

"We  then  continued  the  meeting  by  singing — 
prayer  and  encouraging  the  mourners.  While 
things  were  thus  going  forward,  a  certain  man 
asked  me, 

"  How  is  it,  that  you  can  repeat  Scripture  in 
your  preaching,  with  such  rapidity  and  correct- 
ness ?"     I  replied, 

"I  have  a  good  tender."     He  responded, 

"I  don't  understand  you."     I  explained, 

"  When  a  brick  layer  has  a  good  tender,  he 
can  hand  him  the  brick  as  fast  as  needed.  So 
when  God's  ministers  are  in  the  right  spirit  for 
preaching,  he  inspires  them  with  words  as  fast 
as  they  need  them.  God  spoke  by  the  pro- 
phets of  old,  through  his  Spirit,  and  by  the 
same  Spirit,  he  speaks  through  his  faithful  min- 
isters in  these  latter  days." 

Brother  Strawbridge  came  to  the  meeting, 
after  which  I  left.  It  continued  for  some  time. 
A  number  of  souls  were  brought  to  yield  to  di- 
vine influences,  and  set  out  for  a  new  life. 

On  another  occasion  brother  A.  Bickly  and 
J.  Senseny,  had  appointed  a  Bush  meeting 
near  the  Warm  Spring  road,  on  brother  John 
Snyder's  place.  By  request,  brothers  J.  Win- 
gert,  D.  Whisler,  D.  Funkhouser,  and  myself 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  121 

attended.  The  first  night,  after  preaching,  the 
work  of  God  broke  out  by  reviving  the  hearts 
of  the  people,  and  bringing  sinners  to  feel  their 
lost  condition.  Every  night  during  the  meet- 
ing, old  and  young  persons  fell  prostrate  before 
the  altar,  crying  out  for  mercy.  After  remain- 
ing at  the  meeting  for  some  days,  I  left.  It 
was,  however,  continued  by  other  brethren. 

At  another  time,  a  meeting  was  held  in  Sny- 
der's school  house,  commencing  on  Saturday 
night.  On  the  Sunday  following,  there  was 
such  a  turn  out  of  people,  that  the  house  could 
not  contain  them.  So  we  had  to  hold  the  meet- 
ing and  preach  in  the  woods  that  day,  and  also 
at  night ;  and  there  being  no  preparations  for 
light  to  hold  the  meeting  at  night,  I  told  the 
people,  that,  if  they  would  come  out  in  the  even- 
ing and  behave  themselves,  we  would  preach  to 
them  by  moon  light.  To  this  they  assented  by 
nodding  their  heads.  So,  at  night,  with  the 
light  of  two  candles  and  one  lantern,  we  had 
preaching  by  moon  light,  to  an  overwhelming 
congregation.  All  behaved  well.  There  was 
no  disturbance  whatever. 

In  the  fall  of  1855,  in  conjunction  with  broth- 
ers Funkhouser,  Bickly,   Senseny  and  J.   C. 
Smith,  a  Bush   meeting  was   held   on  David 
9 


122  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

Slichter's  place,  three  miles  from  my  residence, 
which  continued  two  weeks.  The  work  of 
grace  went  on  rapidly.  On  the  second  Sunday, 
after  preaching  in  the  woods,  the  evening  ap- 
pointment was  made  to  be  at  my  house.  Here 
the  work  of  the  Lord  continued  to  progress  in 
an  extraordinary  manner.  Souls  were  born 
again  every  night.  Those  who  were  converted 
at  the  Bush  meeting,  together  with  those  who 
were  converted  in  my  house,  numbered  twenty- 
seven,  most  of  whom  are  still  moving  on  in 
the  good  old  way. 

In  the  following  Spring,  another  meeting  was 
held  at  my  house,  during  which  time  there  were 
fourteen  conversions. 

In  the  fall  of  1857,  brother  Funkhouser  and 
myself  held  a  union  meeting  in  Botler's  School 
house,  near  St.  Thomas.  At  this  meeing,  the 
word  preached  was  attended  with  such  demon- 
strations of  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  twenty-two 
trophies  were  added  to  the  victories  of  grace 
over  the  devil,^by  the  conversion  of  their  souls. 

Before  closing  this  chapter,  I  will  relate  a 
case,  in  which  a  tavern  keeper  lost  customers  by 
having  family  prayer  in  his  house.  At  the 
time  Philip  Bishop  was  living  in  Littlestown, 
Adams  county,  Pa.,  he  kept  a  tavern  for  the 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  123 

accommodation  of  travelers,  &c.  He  request- 
ed me  to  come  there  and  preach  in  his  new 
store  room,  before  the  counters  were  placed  in 
it.  This  house  was  separate  from  his  tavern. 
When  I  arrived  there  on  Saturday  evening,  a 
great  many  wagoners  were  there,  with  their 
teams,  who  had  put  up  at  his  house  for  the 
night.  Father  Bishop,  not  wishing  me  to  re- 
main with  the  wagoners  in  the  bar-room,  took 
me  into  his  dining  room,  where  we  had  social 
conversation  until  bed  time.  "When  about  to 
retire  for  the  night,  his  wife  requested  me  to 
sing  and  pray,  stating  that  preachers  seldom  put 
up  at  their  house.  She,  therefore,  wished  me 
to  pray  with  them.  Accordingly,  I  complied 
with  her  request,  and  while  so  engaged,  the 
wagoners  in  the  bar-room,  next  to  the  room  we 
occupied,  made  considerable  tumult.  They 
were  gazing  with  astonishment,  through  the 
opening  left  by  a  broken  pain  of  glass  in  the 
door  window,  which  separated  the  two  rooms. 
Some  of  them  pulled  each  other  back  from  it,  in 
order  to  make  room  for  themselves  to  look 
through.  They  all  wondered  at  this  strange 
phenomenon,  public  prayer  in  a  tavern  !  Such 
a  scene  as  this,  was  a  new  thing  under  the  sun, 
especially  in  such  a  place  and  at  such  a  time. 


124  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

After  looking  on  for  some  time,  and  not  seeing 
any  person  injured,  nor  likely  to  be  so,  through 
family  worship,  they  beca  me  quiet. 

After  I  had  retired  to  rest,  I  was  thinking 
how  I  should  manage  things  in  the  morning, 
there  being  so  many  w^agoners  in  the  house. 
So,  after  I  arose  next  morning  and  walked  into 
the  yard,  lo,  and  behold,  men,  horses,  and 
wagons  were  all  gone.  They  had  remo  ved  to 
another  house  during  the  night,  no  doubt  fear- 
ing there  would  be  more  religious  worship  in 
the  morning.  Thus  it  appeared,  that  my  sing- 
ing and  praying  had  scared  them  all  away,  and 
father  Bishop  lost  some  customers  by  permit- 
ting family  worship  in  his  house  at  that  time.  I 
then  preached  to  a  large  audience  that  day, 
Sunday,  at  10  o'clock,  in  the  store  room.  Af- 
ter this,  I  partook  of  dinner  with  father  Bishop; 
then  left,  and  arrived  home  at  11  o'clock  that 
night,  a  distance  of  over  forty  miles.  One  of  the 
wagoners  referred  to  above,  got  religion  after- 
wards, became  a  preacher,  and  is  still  moving 
in  that  sphere. 


REV.    SAMUEL    HlfBER.  125 


CHAPTER  XI. 

VARIOUS   CIRCUMSTANCES. 

At  a  camp  meeting  held  at  one  time  near 
Flickinger's  mill,  on  the  land  formerly  owned 
by  brother  Philip  Laymaster,  when  deliver- 
ing an  exhortation,  on  Wednesday,  I  quoted 
Isaiah  9:  14,  "Therefore,  the  Lord  will  cut 
off  from  Israel  head  and  tail,  branch  and  rush, 
in  one  day."  In  my  remarks  upon  this  subject,  I 
alluded  to  the  times  of  old,  under  the  Mosaic  law, 
in  which  God  commanded  transgressors  of  his 
law  to  be  stoned  and  otherwise  punished ;  and 
showed,  that  if  he  would  exercise  his  power  in 
judgments  in  the  present  day,  as  he  formerly 
did,  by  cutting  off  from  the  Church  transgres- 
sors, such  as  liars,  drunkards,  swearers.  Sabbath 
breakers,  extortioners,  hypocrites,  &c.,  &;c., 
there  would  be  in  many  Churches  but  few 
members  left;  transgressors  of  this  description 
being  so  very  numerous  in  our  day.  "W  hilst 
thus  speaking,  I  felt  the  spirit  of  utterance  and 
power.  An  old  proverb  says  :  "  That  a  wound- 
ed jpigeon  flutters,''''  The  word  went  home  to  the 
hearts  of  some  hearers,  which  was  evident  at 


126  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

the  time.  For  while  the  congregation  was  at- 
tentively listening  to  the  discourse,  uttering  re- 
peated responses  of  Amen,  on  a  sudden,  a  man 
sprang  up  in  the  midst  of  it,  with  angry  looks 
and  gestures,  shook  his  fists  at  me,  vociferating, 
that  if  I  would  preach  the  truth,  he  would  list- 
en to  me ;  but  as  I  was  preaching  damned  lies, 
he  would  not  listen.  He  went  out  of  the  con- 
gregation in  a  great  rage,  swearing  at  me  as  he 
went  off. 

This  sudden  interruption,  made  in  such  a 
stormy- like  manner,  raised  an  uproar  among  th  e 
audience.  Preachers  and  people  were  affected 
by  it  in  difiterent  ways.  Some  having  been 
blest  through  the  word  spoken,  with  tears  roll- 
ing down  their  cheeks,  got  to  shouting — others 
resorted  to  praying,  and  giving  thanks,  that 
sinners  were  being  cut  to  the  heart ;  whilst 
others,  not  relishing  such  jplain  talk,  partook  of 
the  spirit  of  the  "  man  in  a  rage,"  and  let  loose 
in  strains  of  language  similar  to  his.'  It  appear- 
ed also,  that  some  of  the  preachers  and  brethren, 
faint  hearts,  not  wishing  to  offend  the  father  of 
lies,  took  umbrage  at  some  of  the  words  in  my 
exhortation,  saying,  that  I  was  too  severe  in  my 
terms,  and  should  have  used  more  polite  expres- 
sions than  such  words  as   "  Head,"  "  Tail,' 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  127 

"Branch,"  and  "Eush."  I  told  one  of  the 
preachers,  that  I  had  preached  Bible  doctrine 
and  words,  and  if  he  did  not  believe  it  to  be  so, 
he  should  go  home  to  Lancaster  county  and  read 
his  Bible ;  and  he  would  find  out  that  I  was  cor- 
rect in  what  I  had  said. 

The  man  who  had  shaken  his  fist  at  me,  and 
went  off*  in  a  rage,  returned  to  his  brother's  tent 
on  the  following  Friday  evening,  without  my 
knowledge  at  the  time.  His  brother  sent  for 
me  to  the  preachers'  tent,  with  a  request  that  I 
should  come  to  his  tent,  "^en  I  came  there, 
Behold !  there  was  the  disturber,  who  had  sha- 
ken his  fists  at  me.  He  looked  chap  fallen — 
was  convicted  of  the  error  of  his  ways,  and  be- 
gan to  apologize — saying  that  he  was  truly  sor- 
ry for  having  sinned  against  me,  and  asked  my 
forgiveness.  I  told  him,  that  he  had  sinned 
against  God  Almighty,  and  not  against  me ;  that 
he  should  pray  to  God  to  forgive  him  his  trans- 
gressions. He  asked  me  to  "  pray  for  him."  I 
replied, 

"  If  you  want  me  to  pray  for  you,  are  you 
willing  to  come  out  to  the  altar,  and  show  the 
people  that  you  have  repented  of  your  evil  do- 
ings."   He  answered, 

"  Yes,  I  am." 


128  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

I  then  took  him  by  the  arm  and  lead  him  ont 
into  the  altar,  in  the  presence  of  the  congrega- 
tion and  of  the  preachers  in  the  stand.  After 
wrestling  in  prayer  for  some  time,  "he  got  reli- 
gion." 

Here  was  another  ocular  demonstration  of 
the  power  of  God,  in  changing  this  lion  into  a 
lamb.  Here  also  might  have  been  seen,  if 
brethren  were  not  wilfully  blind,  the  inconsistency 
in  men,  who  profess  to  be  called  of  God  to  de- 
clare his  word,  in  "  dodging  "  the  question,  by 
withholding  part  of  Scripture  denunciations 
against  the  workers  of  iniquity.  This  case 
should  have  convinced  those  brethren,  who 
looked  shy  at  me  at  the  time  for  crying  out 
against  the  wicked  in  the  manner  I  did,  that, 
when  the  truth  is  spoken,  although  it  may  not 
appear  to  world-pleasing  professors  so  nice,  nev- 
ertheless, God  seals  it  with  Ms  approbation  to 
the  heart. 

But,  that  there  were,  and  still  are,  some  half- 
hearted DIVINES,  who  have  the  fear  of  the  world 
more  than  the  fear  of  God  before  their  eyes,  is 
nothing  new.  It  was  thus  when  Christ  first 
preached  against  the  iniquities  of  his  days  in  the 
flesh.  His  doctrine  struck  with  equal  force  at 
the  sins  of  the  priesthood,  and  those  of  the  laity. 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  129 

It  took  deep  root  and  cut  to  the  heart,  which 
caused  him  to  be  persecuted  by  some  of  his 
brethren,  "For  if  they  do  these  things  in  a  green 
tree,  what  shall  be  done  in  the  dry?"  "The 
disciple  is  not  above  his  master,  nor  the  servant 
above  his  Lord."  Therefore,  it  is  no  marvel, 
that  a  divine,  who  preaches  the  truth,  the  whole 
truth,  as  God  requires  it  of  him  to  do,  should 
meet  with  persecution  from  some  of  his  minis- 
terial brethren,  in  these  latter  davs. 

I  will  now  bid  adieu  to  this  camp  meeting, 
and  introduce  one  instance,  out  of  many  whi  ch 
could  be  cited,  which  proves  that  a  few  words 
spoken  in  season,  when  sealed  by  the  Spirit  of 
God  upon  the  heart,  though  unexpected  at  the 
time,  have  been,  and  may  still  be,  the  means 
through  which  a  sinner  is  brought  out  of  his 
spiritual  slumbers  into  the  light  of  the  gospel. 

At  a  meeting  held  by  father  Boehm,  in  the 
open  field,  near  York,  Pa.,  a  great  many  people 
attended.  In  those  days,  people  wore  large 
boots  and  spurs.  Among  the  attendants  at  the 
meeting,  was  a  certain  Doctor  Peter  Senseny, 
who  walked  about  the  ground,  having  his  legs 
en sconsed  within  a  large  pair  of  riding  boots,  and 
spurs.  Father  Boehm,  in  expatiating  upon  the 
wickedness  of  the  times,  exclaimed  !  "  Some  sin- 


130  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   QP 

ners  are  going  to  hell  with  boots  and  spurs  on 
their  legs."  These  words  entered  the  ears  of 
Senseny  with  an  impressive  force.  Going  to 
hell  with  boots  and  spurs  !  Going  to  hell  with 
boots  and  spurs !  continued  to  reverberate  in 
his  mind,  producing  serious  reflections  in  regard 
to  the  course  of  his  life,  and  finding  himself  on 
the  broad  road  to  "  hell,"  he  was  convicted  of 
the  error  of  his  ways, — sought  the  Lord — and 
obtained  a  change  of  heart.  He  afterwards 
moved  to  Winchester,  Virginia. 

"  He  was  an  early  member  of  the  United 
Brethren  Church,  and  for  some  years,  up  to  the 
time  of  his  death,  which  took  place  in  1804,"  a 
useful  preacher  in  it.  "  Doctor  Senseny  was 
one  of  those  kind  of  physicians  who  administer- 
ed to  both  body  and  soul.  In  his  attendance 
on  the  sick,  he  recommended  the  great  "  Phy- 
sician of  souls,  Jesus."  "  He  would  often  kneel 
at  the  bedside  of  his  patients,"  and  address  the 
throne  of  grace  in  their  behalf.  "  His  kindness, 
piety,  and  charity  to  the  poor  secured  to  him 
the  respect,  esteem,  and  love  of  all  who  came 
within  the  sphere  of  his  acquaintance.  His 
last  illness  was  very  brief.  He  had  but  a  few 
days'  notice  of  his  approaching  death.  He  met 
this  sudden  call  with  Christian  resignation, — 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  131 

and  left  the  world  with  joy  and  peace,"  saying, 
"  Lord  Jesus,  I  come.'/ 

During  the  time  Doctor  Senseny  resided  in 
York,  there  was  a  Mr.  Dehuff,  whose  son,  then 
about  seventeen  years  of  age,  was  much  afflict- 
ed in  body — and  not  knowing  the  nature  of  his 
complaint,  his  father  sent  him  to  Dr.  Sen- 
seny for  advice,  &c. 

When  the  boy  came  to  Senseny,  after  exam- 
ination, the  Doctor  told  him  that  he  was  con- 
sumpted,  and  he  could  not  cure  him.  He  ad- 
vised him  to  pray  to  God,  and  prepare  for  the 
next  world,  adding,  that  if  God  converted  his 
soul,  it  might  be  possible  that  he  would  also 
heal  his  body.  On  the  lad's  return  home,  he  told 
his  father  what  the  Doctor  had  said  to  him,  and 
betook  himself  to  prayer.  This  gave  much  ofience 
to  the  father.  The  idea  that  his  son  might  be 
healed  through  prayer,  was  foreign  to  his  views. 
He  told  him  to  cease  praying  ;  that  he  did  not 
want  any  such  things  as  prayer  in  his  family, 
and  if  he  did  not  give  it  over,  he  should  leave 
his  house,  and  seek  a  home  elsewhere. 

The  son  rather  than  give  up  seeking  the  Lord, 
left  his  father's  house,  to  seek  a  home  among 
strangers.  At  the  same  time,  he  knew  not 
where  to  go.   But  having  heard  something  about 


132  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

old  father  Guething,  that  he  was  a  good  reli- 
gious man,  who  lived  about  eighty  miles  from 
his  father's  residence,  he  directed  his  course 
that  way.  When  he  came  to  Guething,  he  gave 
him  an  account  of  his  situation,  and  Guething, 
being  one  of  those  kind  of  Christians  who  nev- 
er send  the  distressed  empty  away,  requested 
him  to  tarry  at  his  house — procured  employ- 
ment for  him,  and  advised  him  to  continue  in 
prayer  to  God.  To  this  advice  the  boy  earnest- 
ly adhered,  until  he  found  the  pearl  of  great 
price.  After  this,  he  continued  to  serve  his  di- 
vine master, — and  was  healed  of  his  malady — 
became  a  preacher  of  the  Gospel,  and  lived  to 
the  age  of  seventy  years.  He  then  *^  died  tri- 
umphant in  the  faith."  This  furnishes  another, 
out  of  many  cases,  in  which  when  Doctors  could 
not  even  heal  the  body,  God  cured  both  soul 
and  body. 

On  one  occasion,  brother  Draksel  and  his 
colleague,  had  an  appointment  in  Hill  Valley, 
at  a  log  cabin.  When  they  came  to  it  towards 
evening,  the  man  of  the  house  and  his  wife 
came  to  the  door,  the  man  saying, 

"  Here  are  the  preachers,  and  we  have  noth- 
ing to  give  them  to  eat  for  their  supper. '» 
Draksel  inquired, 


REV.  SAMUEL   HUBER.  133 

"  Have  you  hay  for  our  horses  ?"  To  which 
it  vt^as  answered, 

"Yes,  sir,  we  can  feed  them."  Draksel  re- 
joined, 

"  Well,  if  you  can  do  no  better,  we  must  be 
satisfied.  Give  the  horses  some  hay ;  as  for  our- 
selves we  can  fast  over  night."     The  man  said, 

"  We  are  truly  sorry,  that  we  cannot  give  you 
better  fare.  We  have  neither  flour  nor  meat  in 
the  house."     The  wife  added, 

"  We  have  some  apples.  So  you  need  not 
fast  altogether."    Draksel  replied, 

"  God's  ministers  must  take  such  fare  as  they 
can  get.  The  Saviour  had  not  where  to  lay  his 
head.  The  poor  must  have  the  gospel  preached 
unto  them." 

And  so  it  was.  The  woman  brought  them 
a  basket  full  of  apples,  upon  which  they  made 
their  supper  that  evening.  During  preaching 
and  other  religious  exercises,  the  loss  of  their 
supper  was  more  than  made  up  with  spiritual 
food.  That  was  a  refreshing  season  from  the 
presence  of  the  Lord  to  that  family,  and  other 
persons  present,  that  night.  Both  preachers 
and  people  were  fed  wdth  heavenly  manna 
through  the  word  preached.  And  here  was  ful- 
filled the  prophecy,    "Man  shall  not  live  by 


134  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

bread  alone,  but  by  every  word  that  proceedeth 
out  of  the  mouth  of  God." 

Sometime  about  the  year  1819,  father  Dehuff, 
formerly  the  boy  who  was  driven  from  his  fath- 
er's house  for  praying,  M.  Bear,  and  myself, 
held  a  meeting  in  day  time  in  brother  Peter 
Hawbecker's  house  in  Greencastle,  Franklin 
county.  Pa.  Brother  Bear  preached,  after  which 
I  exhorted,  and  as  he  was  somewhat  eccentric, 
loud  and  lively  in  his  preaching,  his  appearance 
created  no  little  stir  amongst  the  people.  Some 
of  them  were  gaping  in  at  the  windows,  which 
were  open  at  the  time ;  others  from  across  the 
street  kept  mimicking  the  preacher,  during  his 
preaching,  with  their  hands  and  frequent 
halloos,  by  way  of  burlesque.  In  short,  this 
kind  of  preaching  was  a  new  and  strange  thing 
in  that  place  then.  Brother  Hawbecker  was  the 
first  person  who  opened  his  house  for  United 
Brethren  preaching  in  Greencastle.  This  was 
the  commencement  of  Brethrenism  there.  Af- 
terwards, in  conjunction  with  other  brethren,  we 
continued  to  propagate  the  Gospel  in  it.  Since 
then,  the  work  of  the  Lord  continued  to  pro- 
gress. The  Society  now  consists  of  about  fifty 
members,  who  worship  in  a  handsome  church 
of  their  own,  under  the  pastoral  charge  of  J.  M. 
Bishop  and  S.  L.  Minich,  the  present  year. 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  135 

At  one  time  I  attended  a  camp  meeting  held 
on  brother  Samuel  Snively's  ground.  Many 
souls  were  blest  and  made  happy  during  the 
exercises.  Under  brother  William  Einehart's 
preaching,  a  Universalist  was  upset.  After  the 
sermon  was  over,  the  Universalist  came  to 
Rinehart,  and  with  pleasant  smiles,  took  him 
by  the  hand  and  said  :  "  I  was  a  believer  in  the 
doctrine  of  universal  redemption  ;  but.  Sir,  you 
have  out-done  me  to  day.  I  never  heard  the 
doctrine  of  universalism  upset  in  that  way  be- 
fore. You  are  the  first  man  that  done  me  up." 
He  thanked  the  preacher  for  the  sermon,  inas- 
much as  it  was  made  a  blessing  to  him. 

Some  time  after  this,  I  preached  a  funeral 
discourse  on  the  death  of  one  of  brother  Samuel 
Snively's  children.  There  was  a  large  atten- 
dance of  relatives  and  other  persons  at  the  fu- 
neral. Brother  Snively  afterward  said  to  me, 
"  I  never  was  better  pleased  in  my  life,  than  I 
was  at  the  manner  in  which  you  held  up  the 
truth  to-day." 

Brother  Habliston  at  one  time  had  an  ap- 
pointment for  preaching  at  the  widow  Immel's 
house,  near  Greenvillage.  I  went  there  to  hear 
him.  Habliston  did  not  come.  The  widow 
said  to  me,  "  Inasmuch  as  the  people  have  col- 


136  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

lected  to  hear  preacliing,  it  won*t  do  to  disap- 
point them.  You  must  preach  for  us."  I  took 
up  the  cross  and  preached,  after  which  brother 
J.  Whitmer  and  George  Mowers  closed  with  ex- 
hortation. I  then  made  an  appointment  to 
preach  in  brother  Sherman's  house,  near  Smoke- 
town,  in  the  Pines.  When  I  came  to  fill  it, 
crowds  were  there — including  many  Roman 
Catholics.  After  the  meeting  had  closed  and 
the  people  gone  off,  the  Catholics  returned,  and 
began  to  dispute  about  religion.  One  of  them, 
an  Irishman,  and  a  full  blooded  papist,  among 
other  things,  said  to  me  : 

"  Yee'r  pretending  to  be  an  apostle,  are  ye  ?" 
I  said, 

"  I  do  not  call  myself  an  apostle."    He  said, 

"  But  yee'r  wants  to  be  one,  and  can't  make 
a  crooked  dog  strait."     I  replied, 

"  I  don't  preach  to  dogs,  but  I  preach  the 
damnation  of  hell  to  unconverted  sinners — 
warning  them  to  flee  the  wrath  to  come." 

At  this,  he  jumped  up  in  a  great  rage,  went 
off  vociferating  and  thundering  the  Pope's  bulls 
at  me  for  being  a  heretic. 

At  my  next  appointment  at  this  place,  father 
John  Oaks  came  with  me.  The  Catholics  did 
not  come  into  the  house  then,  but  stood  outside 


REV.    SAMUEL   IIUBER.   .  137 

of  it,  throwing  vollies  of  stones  against  the 
house  and  on  the  roof.  After  the  meeting  was 
dismissed,  and  the  people  had  gone,  stones  still 
continued  to  rattle  against  the  house.  Father 
Oaks  became  alarmed  and  said,  "  They  might 
kill  us."  I  told  him,  "I  have  no  fears  about  it,'* 
and  after  some  more  stoning  and  storming 
from  the  papists,  they  left.  JSTo  person  was 
hurt. 

After  this,  I  preached  at  D.  Goldsmith's,  M. 
Hover's,  Shively's,  widow  Rung's.  Here  six 
persons  were  converted  at  a  meeting.  At  one 
time,  I  assisted  to  hold  a  so  called  Winebren- 
ner  camp  meeting  on  M.  Hover's  land.  Prior 
to  this  camp  meeting,  I  preached  to  the  "Wine- 
brennerians  in  Shippensburg  every  four  weeks 
— for  one  year.  At  one  of  these  appointments 
Rev.  Helfenstein,  of  the  German  Reformed 
Church,  preached  at  10  o'clock,  A.  M.  Brother 
Mull  requested  me  to  preach  in  the  evening ; 
but  as  there  were  more  English  than  German 
hearers,  Helfenstein  preached.  I  exhorted  in 
German.  Helfenstein  then  invited  mourners  to 
the  altar.  Five  came  forward.  Singing  and 
prayer  were  continued.  Some  of  the  mourners 
got  blest.  We  had  a  good  meeting.  After  it 
closed,  I  rode  home  that  night,  a  distance  of  ten 
miles.  10 


138  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF 

In  the  early  period  of  my  ministry,  in  con- 
junction with  brother  Hoffman,  I  frequently 
held  meetings  in  the  Ked  School  House  on  the 
Warm  Spring  road,  a  short  distance  from  broth- 
er Daniel  Hammand's,  at  whose  house  we  used 
to  put  up.  This  was  the  only  stopping  place 
for  preachers  then.  Now  there  are  many  others. 
Brother  Hammand  was  one  of  those  kind  of 
men,  who,  when  they  lay  hold  of  a  project,  nev- 
er let  go  until  they  get  through  with  it.  Influ- 
enced by  such  motives,  after  he  got  religion,  he 
opened  his  house  for  the  entertainment  of 
preachers  and  people,  and  became,  and  still  is, 
a  useful  member  of  the  Church,  and  continues 
steadily  to  walk  by  the  old  landmarks  of  the 
Gospel.  May  the  Lord  bless  and  prosper  him 
and  his  family,  soul  and  body  ! 

About  thirty  years  ago,  in  company  with 
brother  John  Crider,  I  went  to  McConnellsburg 
to  preach.  There  had  been  an  appointment 
made  for  us,  in  the  school  house,  back  of  the 
town.  A  large  assembly  of  people  attended. 
"We  preached  and  exhorted  as  usual,  and  left  an 
appointment  for  eight  weeks  after  that  at  the 
same  place.  When  we  came  to  fill  this  appoint- 
ment, the  school  house  was  locked,  so  that  we 
could  not  get  in.     There  were  some  people  liv- 


REV,    SAMUEL   HUBER.  139 

ing  in  these  "  diggins,"  who  did  not  relish  such 
preachers  as  we  were,  and  would  have  prevent-" 
ed  us  from  propagating  the  good  news,  that  Jesus 
Christ  came  to  seek  and  save  the  lost  sheep  of 
the  house  of  Israel.  But,  inasmuch  as  we  had 
a  commission  from  the  God  of  Israel  to  go  out 
into  the  highways  and  hedges  to  preach  Christ, 
and  him  crucified,  to  perishing  sinners;  we 
had  no  idea  of  giving  up  the  "  ship  "  with- 
out giving  the  enemies  of  the  Lord  a  few  scat- 
tered shots,  if  it  should  be  but  at  random.  "We 
were  determined  to  preach  at  all  hazards. 

So  I  told  the  people  who  had  came  to  hear, 
that  we  would  go  out  on  the  commons  and 
preach  under  the  locust  trees.  After  we  had 
moved  towards  the  commons,  a  man  came  run- 
ning after  us,  stating  that  he  had  gotten  the 
key  of  the  school  house.  We  then  went  into 
it,  and  i)reached  to  more  people  than  it  could 
hold.  Many  of  them  stood  listening  outside 
of  it.  After  this,  we  preached  in  turns  in  the 
school  house  and  in  brother  Brubaker's  house. 
During  these  meetings  brother  Brubaker's  son 
John  and  his  wife,  John's  son  George  and  his 
wife  w^ere  converted. 

Some  time  after  this,  we  held  a  big  Bush 
meeting  on  John  Brubaker's  land,  and  preach- 


140  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    Ql? 

ed  in  his  barn.  A  number  of  preachers  assist- 
ed. A  good  work  broke  out — convictions  be- 
came deep — the  cries  for  mercy  reached  the  heav- 
ens. Many  converts  were  added  to  the  Church 
in  that  region.  We  attended  to  them  for  sever- 
al years.  This  place  was  then  supplied  by  the 
circuit  preachers.  About  that  time  a  good  so- 
ciety was  formed,  and  a  meeting  house  erected 
in  McConnellsburg  by  the  United  Brethren. 

In  my  route  I  preached  in  Mercersburg  in 
father  Kinaj's  house.  Thence  I  went  to  the 
Little  Cove,  to  attend  a  Big  meeting.  On  my 
arrival  at  the  place,  I  met  brothers  Everhart, 
"Weaver  and  Mason,  Methodist  preachers  ; 
and  brothers  Weder,  Felty  and  Bowlus,  Uni- 
ted Brethren  preachers.  The  meeting  was  held 
in  the  woods.  A  great  many  people  had  assem- 
bled ;  but  they  stood  at  a  considerable  distance 
from  the  preachers'  stand,  staring  at  us  with 
evident  symptoms  of  fear  and  alarm  in  their 
countenances,  as  if  they  took  us  to  be  some 
strange  and  dangerous  beings,  or  some  dreadful 
event  was  to  take  place.  There  were  many  for- 
eign Germans  on  the  ground. 

Perceiving  that  the  people  looked  so  shy  at 
us,  I  went  up  into  the  stand  and  spoke  to  them 
in  German,  requesting  them  to  draw  near,  ad- 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUEER.  141 

cling  that  we  would  preach  the  gospel  to  them, 
in  order  to  do  them  good,  and  not  harm.  At 
this  the  German  part  came  near  the  stand. 
The  English,  seeing  the  Germans  coming  for- 
ward, and  no  one  hurt,  nor  likely  to  be  so,  also 
took  courage  and  came  up  witliin  hearing  dis- 
tance. I  requested  brother  Weder  to  come  up 
into  the  stand  and  commence  the  preaching. 
But,  inasmuch  as  he  had  his  own  notions  about 
such  things,  having  an  inkling  towards  Quaker- 
ism within  him,  that  is,  not  to  speak  until  he 
felt  moved  to  do  so,  and  this  inspiration  was 
wanting,  he  refused  to  preach,  and  remained  on 
his  seat  in  the  congregation. 

Brother  Weaver  then  preached  the  first  ser- 
mon in  English,  and  I  followed  with  exhorta- 
tion in  German.  While  speaking,  I  felt  the 
power,  and  so  did  brother  Weder.  Finding 
himself  stirred  up,  he  jumped  upon  his  feet — 
came  walking  up  into  the  stand — drew  off  his 
over  coat,  and  took  hold  of  my  arm  roughly, 
saying,  Stop ;  it  is  my  time  to  speak  now  !  As  I 
knew  his  ways,  I  yielded  to  him,  and  halted. 
Now,  although  he  was  one  of  those  kind  of  men, 
who  could  not,  or  would  not  speak,  without  hrst 
being  moved  by  the  Spirit  before  he  began,  yet, 
after  he  had  commenced  to  hold  forth,  there 


142  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF 

was  no  stopping  him.  His  motto  was,  ^'Strike 
while  the  iron  is  hot" — Go  ahead  then — Push 
the  steam.  And  as  he  always  wept  during  his 
public  exercises,  he  seldom  missed  fire. 

This  being  his  character,  I  had  scarcely  taken 
my  seat,  when  he  began  to  speak,  and  opened  in 
strains  of  power,  which  swept  through  the  con- 
gregation like  the  launching  of  a  ship's  hull 
from  her  stays,  plowing  through  the  waters  in 
its  course.  Powerful  and  deep  was  the  effect 
of  his  words.  Deep  emotions  were  felt — sobs 
and  sighs  were  heard — tears,  like  drops  of  rain, 
rolling  down  cheeks,  were  seen — groaning 
hearts  were  set  free — shouting  voices  resounded 
throughout  the  woods.  In  short,  a  mighty  work 
of  grace  broke  out  then  and  there. 

After  remaining  with  them  a  few  days,  I  left 
for  home.  Subsequent  to  this,  I  was  informed 
by  several  Methodist  brethren,  "  that  this  was  the 
first  religious  meeting  of  the  kind  held  in  that 
neighborhood,  and  that  the  work  began  at  it, 
continued  to  progress  for  a  long  time  after- 
wards. By  means  of  it,  the  owner  of  the  land 
where  the  meeting  was  held,  together  with  his 
family,  was  converted.  Brother  Jeremiah  Ma- 
son took  about  forty  persons  into  the  Methodist 
Church."     The  United  Brethren  preachers  did 


KEV.    SAMUEL  HUBER.  14B 

not  go  there  for  some  time  after  this.  Wheth- 
er they  are  doing  any  thing  there  at  this  time 
or  not,  I  am  not  able  to  state,  for  want  of  infor- 
mation. During  the  times  in  which  the  work 
alluded  to,  took  place,  the  appearance  of  reli- 
gious congregations  was  vastly  different,  in 
many  respects,  from  what  it  is  now.  At  the 
present  day,  people  ai^  dressed  up  in  what  are 
called  their  "  Sunday  ck;thes,"  when  attending 
church,  and  if  a  person  appears  among  them  in 
his  working  suit,  he  is  stared  a'^  and  may  some 
times  disorganize  the  'preacher's  ideas.  But,  in 
former  days,  it  was  no  marvelous  thi-ng  to  see 
men  attending  religious  meetings  with  their 
rifles  and  shot  guns  in  their  hands,  and  hunting 
caps  upon  their  heads — wearing  hunting  shirts 
— fully  equipped  in  hunters'  style.  In  such  cos- 
tumes they  would  stand,  or  sit,  during  preach- 
ing and  other  religious  exercises,  without  any 
molestation  to  the  congregation  or  preacher 
whatever. 

One  Sunday  forenoon,  while  preaching  in  a 
Virginia  valley,  a  number  of  hunters  were  pres- 
ent. They  stood  during  the  services,  leaning 
with  their  hands  upon  their  rifles.  After 
preaching,  on  our  way  to  the  next  appointment, 
we  overtook  six  of  them.     They  had  shot  a 


144  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

large  buck,  and  were  carrying  it  with  a  pole 
upon  their  shoulders.  At  the  sight  of  us,  they 
made  off  towards  the  woods.  We  rode  up  to 
them — spoke  a  few  words  and  passed  on.  This 
was  the  manner  in  which  these  i^ople  spent 
their  Sabbath  days :  Hearing  pniaching  in  the 
forenoon,  and  hunting  and  -shooting  bucks  in 
the  afternoon. 

"VVe  had  frequently  to  preach  in  log  cabins  at 
night,  with  no  othei-  light  than  that  made  with 
pine  knots  blaziMg  in  the  fire-places,  and  with  a 
table  for  a  reading  desk,  and  sometimes  without 
even  this.  We  had  no  opportunity  to  read  man- 
uscript sermons  to  the  people,  even  if  we  desi- 
red to  do  so.  Such  a  thing^'as  memorizing  and 
preaching  other  men's  productions,  was  not 
thought  of  in  those  times,  except  by  shallow 
brains  and  blockheads.  We  had  to  take  the 
Bible  for  the  rule  of  our  faith  and  practice.  Out 
of  it,  through  God's  assistance,  we  obtained  our 
theology — preached — exhorted — and  taught,  as 
the  Holy  Spirit  suggested.  We  graduated 
on  horse-back,  instead  of  in  large  buildings, — 
Preaching  then  was  done  in  the  simplicity  of 
the  Gospel — directed  to  the  heart,  telling  the 
people  what  they  were,  as  well  as  what  they  must 
be,  if  they  wanted  to  be  saved.     Such  methods 


HEV.    SAMUEL   IIUBER.  145 

of  theological  warfare,  with  the  world — flesh — 
and  the  devil,  as  tended  to  send  gospel  shot  over 
people's  HEADS — instead  of  into  their  hearts, 
w^as  not  exactly  the  thing  then.  -^ 

At  the  present  day,  preaching  is  done,  in  the 
main,  more  by  making  side  glances  at  the  sin- 
ner's HEAD,  than  by  thrusts  at  his  heart,  which, 
as  a  matter  of  course,  pass  off  without  effect, 
and  leave  him  in  his  wretched  condition.  On 
the  other  hand,  the  old  divines,  through  their 
theology,  aimed  at  the  heart,  and,  in  most  cases, 
through  divine  aid,  sent  arrows  into  it.  The 
eifect  of  this  was,  to  produce  "  nausea,"  accom- 
panied with  alarming  symptoms  respecting  their 
present  and  future  state.  This  caused  those 
sickly  penitents  to  inquire  concerning  the  na- 
ture of  their  disease,  and,  upon  examination,  it 
was  discovered,  that  their  inward  parts  were 
like  unto  a  "  sepulchre,  full  of  rottenness  and 
dead  men's  bones."  Under  such  circumstan- 
ces, they  applied  to  the  great  spiritual  Physi- 
cian for  a  remedy,  who,  "•  without  money  or 
price,"  healed  them  of  their  maladies,  by  giving 
them  "  clean  hearts  and  renewing  right  spirits 
within  them,"  and  sent  them  away  leaping — 
shouting — and  praising  God. 

This  kind  of  preaching,  done   in   cabins — 


146  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

barns — woods — highways — and  hedges — and 
other  places — was  the  means,  through  God,  of 
raising  the  standard  of  the  cross  in  valleys — 
country — cities — towns — and  villages — where 
the  devil  had  established  his  kingdom  and 
reigned  triumphantly.  JS'o  sooner  did  these 
enemies  of  the  devil,  preachers,  come  up  to  the 
"help  of  the  Lord,  against  the  mighty,"  and 
open  their  batteries  with  singing — prayer — 
preaching — exhortation — and  talking  about  Je- 
sus— than  openings  were  made  in  the  walls  of 
Satan's  kingdom.  Many  of  his  strong  holds 
were  taken  by  storm,  by  enforcing  the  unadul- 
terated truths  of  the  Gospel,  seconded  and  seal- 
ed to  the  heart,  by  the  power  of  Him,  "  who 
hath  his  way  in  the  whirlwind  and  in  the  storm," 
"  at  whose  power  mountains  quake — hills  melt " 
— "sea  and  rivers  are  dried  up" — "and  who 
maketh  his  angels  spirits,  his  ministers  a  flaming 
fire." 

And  thus  it  was,  in  those  days  of  God's  pow- 
er. Although  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  is 
an  employment  which  would  dignify  angels, 
nevertheless  God  has  committed  it  to  men.  Ac- 
cordingly, men  who  have  experienced  the  reno- 
vating power  of  divine  grace  in  their  own  hearts, 
and  felt  within  them  a  burning  zeal  for  the 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  147 

Lord  of  hosts,  have,  through  the  constraining 
love  of  Christ,  gone  forth  and  preached  the 
word  of  reconciliation  to  others,  as  noted  in  this 
and  other  similar  works,  the  world  over,  since 
the  gospel  was  first  preached  unto  men.  Many 
were  the  precious  seasons  we  enjoyed  in  log 
cabins,  and  in  other  places  where  meetings  were 
held. 


CHAPTEE  XII. 

BAPTISM — A  YOUNG  WOMAN    SUPPOSED  TO  BE    DEAD — 
TRIP  TO  GENERAL  CONFERENCE. 

In  early  times,  there  resided  in  Horse  Valley, 
Franklin  county.  Pa.,  Daniel,  John,  and  Abra- 
ham Posenberger,  members  of  the  Lutheran 
Church.  They  were  some  of  the  first  settlers  in 
that  region  of  country.  At  one  time  D.  Posen- 
berger  requested  me  to  come  into  the  Valley, 
and  preach  to  the  people.  He  stated,  that 
the  people  being  poor  in  that  neighborhood, 
could  not  afford  to  pay  for  preaching,  and  that 
preachers  generally  would  not  come  there  to 
preach  without  pay  ;  in  consequence  of  which, 
there  w^as  very  little,  if  any,  preaching  among 
them,   and  they  needed  and  desired  German 


148  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

preaching  very  much.  Accordingly,  an  appoint- 
ment was  made  for  me,  for  the  first  time  in 
Horse  Valley.  In  company  with  brother  Ever- 
hart,  one  of  the  first  local  Methodist  pioneer 
preachers,  I  went  there  to  make  a  beginning. 
We  tarried  with  brother  D.  Kosenberger,  at 
whose  house  the  meeting  was  held,  on  a  week 
day  forenoon.  There  was  a  large  gathering  of 
people  at  the  place.  We  preached  to  them  in 
German  and  in  English.  During  the  services, 
the  congregation  gave  great  attention,  and 
seemed  as  if  they  were  gospel  hungry^  receiving 
eagerly  all  we  spoke. 

After  preaching,  I  told  them,  that  I  would 
preach  for  them  free  of  charge,  inasmuch  as  I 
had  ample  means  to  support  myself;  that  the 
poor  should  have  the  gospel  preached  unto 
them.  I  gave  out  an  appointment  for  Sunday 
six  weeks  from  that  time,  to  which  1  attended, 
and  afterward  continued  to  serve  the  people 
w^ith  preaching,  in  regular  appointments,  for  a 
long  time.  After  the  meeting  at  the  second 
appointment  was  closed,  brother  Rosenberger 
invited  all  the  people  to  dinner,  of  which  a  great 
many  of  them  partook.  At  dinner,  I  remark- 
ed, "  You  have  a  large  society  of  people  here:" 
to  which  a  woman  replied,  "  Yes,  we  have  more 


REV.    SAMUEL   IIUBER.  149 

goats  than  sheep.  For  this  reason  we  want 
preaching,  by  means  of  which  the  goats  may  be 
turned  into  sheep,  and  brought  into  the  fold." 

Sometime  after  this,  I  sent  brother  Braiser  to 
fill  one  of  my  six.weeks'  appointments  at  broth- 
er D.  Eosenberger's.  "While  he  was  preaching, 
brother  Crone  got  convicted  for  his  sins,  and 
left  the  meeting  in  great  distress  of  soul.  A 
few  days  after  this,  he  was  cutting  his  buck- 
wheat, being  still  in  great  agony,  and  engaged 
in  mental  prayer.  "Whilst  in  the  act  of  making 
a  swing  with  his  cradle,  he  was  blest,  npon 
which  he  threw  it  away,  and  ran  home  to  tell 
his  wife,  how  good  he  felt,  thinking,  no  doubt, 
that  she  would  partake  of  the  same  spirit,  and 
rejoice  with  him.  But,  as  man  and  wife  some- 
times differ  in  opinions,  she  received  him  in  a 
peevish  manner,  which  caused  a  damper  to  his 
feelings  at  the  time. 

Some  years  after  this,  brother  Crone  held  a 
three  days'  meeting  in  his  house,  at  which 
brother  John  Crider,  J.  "Wingert,  and  myself 
attended.  The  meeting  began  on  Saturday 
evening.  On  Sunday  forenoon  there  was  Ger- 
man and  English  preaching.  In  the  afternoon 
brother  David  Bear  baptized  five  persons  by  im- 
mersion.    Father  Gilbert  was  much  displeased, 


150  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF 

because  bis  sous  Frederick  aud  George  were 
baptized  bj  immersion  at  tbis  time.  Tbej  had 
beeu  baptized  in  their  infancy,  and  went  through 
the  catechetical  course  of  the  Lutheran  Church. 
Pie,  therefore,  conckided  that  there  was  no  need 
of  more  baptism,  as  they  were  christianized  al- 
ready. But,  as  the  two  young  men  thought 
otherwise,  they  received  baptism  again  by  im- 
mersion ;  and  when  they  came  out  of  the  water, 
they  went  forth  shouting,  and  praising  the  Lord, 
which  caused  no  small  stir  and  excitement 
among  the  people. 

There  was  also  a  young  woman,  a  Miss  Fish- 
er, there.  She  was  the  last  of  the  persons  im- 
mersed at  the  time.  She  got  to  shouting  in  the 
water.  After  she  was  taken  out  of  it,  she  be- 
came powerless,  and  lay  as  if  dead ;  and  being 
dressed  in  white  apparel,  she  really  appeared 
like  a  corpse.  As  she  was  lying  in  this  condi- 
tion, many  of  the  bystanders  became  much  af- 
fected. Sobs,  sighs,  and  tears  were  heard  and 
seen  all  around.  Some  said  she  was  dead. 
Others  said  she  had  been  drowned  in  the  water. 
Questions  were  asked,  and  answered  promiscu- 
ously ;  some  correctly,  others  at  random.  The 
excitement  was  increasing.  At  the  height  of 
it,  I  cried  out,  "  God  can  kill  and  make  alive. 


REV.  SAMUEL  HUBER.  151 

Let  US  pray.  Perhaps  she  will  come  to."  We 
commenced  and  continued  to  sing  and  pray  for 
some  time.  At  length  the  young  girl  rose  up, 
shouting  and  praising.  At  the  same  time,  a 
number  of  other  persons  partook  of  the  same 
spirit,  and  then  they  had  a  great  time  of  it  in 
that  way. 

Seeing  all  this,  Father  Gilbert  said,  "lam 
done  now.  I  have  no  more  to  say.  I  am  con- 
vinced that  this  is  not  the  power  of  man,  but 
the  power  of  God."  Some  time  after  this,  he 
got  religion  himself  at  a  camp  meeting,  near 
the  Burnt  Cabins.  From  this  time  forward,  the 
work  of  God  continued  to  progress  in  Horse 
Valley.  The  brethren  have  now  a  house  of 
worship  of  their  own  there.  And  in  all  this, 
we  have  another  instance  of  the  work  of  the 
Lord  being  carried  forward  through  the  instru- 
mentality of  local  PREACHERS. 

Brother  Crone  died  four  or  Rye  years  ago. 
Brother  D.  Funkhouser  and  myself  attended  his 
funeral.  Brother  Funkhouser  preached  his  fu- 
neral sermon  in  English.  I  exhorted  in  Ger- 
man. Brother  Rosenberger  said  afterwards, 
that  "  Funkhouser  had  preached  the  greatest 
sermon  on  the  occasion,  that  had  ever  been 
preached  in  Horse  Valley." 


152  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

In  the  year  1821,  I  was  elected  delegate  to 
General  Conference,  to  be  held  May  15,  1821, 
at  brother  Dewalt  Mechlin's,  Fairfield  county, 
Ohio.  On  the  30th  of  April,  proceeding  in 
company  with  brothers  Joseph  PIofFman,  George 
A.  Guething  and  Mr.  Clapper,  we  set  out  for 
the  Conference.  The  first  day  we  arrived  in 
McConnellsburg,  Bedford  county,  Pa.  I  put 
up  at  an  Inn.  We  held  meeting  in  a  school 
house  that  evening.  Brother  Hoffman  preach- 
ed in  English.  After  meeting,  on  my  way  to 
the  Inn,  I  overtook  two  men,  the  one  a  Lutheran 
and  the  other  a  German  Reformed  preacher.  I 
overheard  the  German  Reformed  inquire  of  the 
Lutheran  preacher,  "  What  kind  of  preachers 
these  men  were  ?"  alluding  to  us.  As  they 
knew  nothing  about  us,  the  Lutheran  said,  "  He 
did  not  know."  I  told  them,  that  we  were  Uni- 
ted Brethren,  in  older  times  called  Otterbein's 
followers.  They  jointly  replied,  "If  they  had 
known  that  before,  they  would  have  spoken  in 
the  meeting,"  as  they  were  both  there  at  the 
time.  The  German  Reformed  minister  said, 
"  that  he  had  an  acquaintance  with  Otterbein's 
brother  in  Germany,  and  also  with  William 
Otterbein  in  America."  I  lodged  with  him  at  the 
same  Inn  that  night,  and  after  we  had  some  con- 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  153 

versatioD,  he  invited  me  to  stop  in  Pittsburg,  and 
preach  in  his  Church  there,  on  my  return  from 
Conference.  Next  morning  we  parted  as  broth- 
ers. 

On  our  route,  the  next  evening,  the  1st  of 
May,  we  tarried  at  brother  George  Smith's,  near 
Bedford.  On  the  2nd  of  May  we  went  from 
tlience  to  brother  Plough's  in  the  Glades.  On 
the  3rd  of  May  we  came  to  Somerset.  When 
near  the  Court  House,  there  was  a  man,  who 
we  afterwards  learned  was  an  Elder  in  the  Lu- 
theran Church,  standing  on  the  pavement.  He 
requested  us  to  stop,  and  inquired  of  brother 
Hoffman, 

"Whether  we  were  preachers."  Hoffman 
answered, 

"  ires.  Sir!"  We  are  of  that  order."  The 
man  continued, 

"  To  what  Church  do  you  belong?"  Hoff- 
man replied, 

"  We  belong  to  the  United  Brethren,  and  are 
on  our  way  to  the  General  Conference,  in  Ohio." 
The  man  replied, 

"  I  heard  that  there  were  some  preachers  ex- 
pected to  pass  through  this  place.  For  this 
reason  I  was  waiting  here  to  speak  with  them." 
Hoffman  inquired, 

11 


154  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

"Well,  Sir  !  what  is  your  business  with  us?" 
The  man  replied, 

"  Why,  Sir !  the  people  in  this  town  need 
preaching  very  much.  So,  if  you  will  tarry  a 
few  hours  and  preach  for  us  in  the  Court  House, 
I  will  give  notice  by  ringing  the  bell ;  and  give 
you  your  dinners  and  feed  your  horses  also." 
Hoffman  answered, 

"  Our  duty  is  to  preach  the  Gospel  wherever 
we  can  get  hearers.  We  will  take  you  up  at 
your  offer." 

And  so  at  10  o'clock,  A.  M.,  brother  Guetb- 
ing  preached  in  German — and  brother  Hoffman 
delivered  an  exhortation  in  English.  One  wo- 
man got  under  conviction  and  cried  aloud  for 
mercy.  After  meeting,  she  requested  us  to 
preach  at  her  house.     We  had  not  time  to  do  so. 

After  we  had  taken  our  dinner,  and  our  hor- 
ses were  fed,  we  continued  our  journey  and 
came  to  Ligonier  Valley  that  evening.  At 
this  place  brother  Clapper  j^reached  to  the  peo- 
ple. The  next  day.  May  the  4th,  we  came  to 
Mount  Pleasant,  and  reached  there  at  10  o'clock, 
A.  M.  Here  I  met  with  brother  Spayth,  who 
formerly  preached  for  us,  when  he  was  a  young 
man.  We  had  a  lively  meeting  in  Mount  Pleas- 
ant that  day.     Leaving  this  place,  we  arrived 


REV.    SAMUEL   IIUBER.  155 

at  brother  Zumbrod's,  sixteen  miles  further  on- 
ward, where  I  preached  that  evening. 

On  the  5th,  we  came  to  Washington.  At 
this  place  we  did  not  stop  to  preach.  Brothers 
Pfrimmer  and  Winter  filled  our  appointments 
here  in  the  evening.  We  went  a  half  mile  fur- 
ther on  and  stayed  over  night.  The  next  day 
we  continued  our  journey  and  arrived  in  Wheel- 
ing. We  then  crossed  the  river,  and  stayed 
over  night  at  a  tavern.  A  great  many  travelers 
put  up  at  this  place  that  evening.  During  the 
night,  after  w^e  had  retired  to  bed,  a  colored  man 
entered  our  room  and  made  an  attempt  to  rifle 
our  pockets  and  saddle-bags.  We  heard  him 
making  a  noise,  when  we  called  out  to  the  land- 
lord, who  came  into  the  room.  The  thief  made 
his  exit.     It  was  discovered  to  be  the  ostler. 

The  next  day  we  arrived  within  eleven  miles 
of  Zanesville,  and  stayed  over  night.  The  fol- 
lowing day  we  came  to  Zanesville,  and  took 
breakfast.  At  this  place  I  met  John  Loferree? 
who  had  learned  his  trade  with  the  same  em- 
ployer that  I  did.  We  spent  part  of  the  day  in 
visiting  the  Salt  works  at  this  place.  This  was 
a  new  thing  in  those  parts  at  that  time.  We 
were  very  much  gratified  at  seeing  the  various 
works  and  machinery  connected  with  the  estab- 


156  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

lishment.  Here  are  salt  wells  from  two  to 
seven  hundred  feet  in  depth,  out  of  w^hich  flow^- 
ed  a  constant  stream  of  salt  water,  which  was 
put  into  boilers  and  made  into  salt.  One  facto- 
ry had  forty-two  large  boiling  kettles  for  that 
purpose. 

After  this  we  left  Zanesville  and  arrived  at 
brother  Dewalt  Mechlin's,  the  place  where  the 
Conference  was  held.  During  its  sessions,  there 
was  much  sparring  among  the  members.  Some 
of  them  could  not  see  eye  to  eye  upon  the  dif- 
ferent subjects  which  came  under  consideration. 
This  gave  rise  to  considerable  debate.  But, 
after  much  steam  had  been  spent  through  the 
vocal  powers,  by  thrusts  and  rejoinders,  the 
Conference  closed  its  sessions  in  peace  and  har- 
mony. 

After  the  Conference  closed,  a  three  days' 
meeting  was  held  at  brother  Mechlin's.  From 
"this  place  I  went  to  a  camp  meeting,  ten  miles 
distant  from  New  Lancaster,  and  spent  one 
week  at  it.  We  got  our  souls  refreshed  with 
renewed  showers  of  grace.  From  there  I  set 
out  for  home,  in  company  with  some  of  my 
brethren.  On  our  way,  we  preached  at  brother 
Loferree's.  We  then  w^ent  to  ISlew  Philadel- 
phia, and  thence  to  my  brother-in-law,  George 


HEV.    SAMUEL    IIUBER.  157 

Crider,  where  we  had  meeting  in  his  barn.  "VVe 
left  here  on  Monday  morning,  in  the  direction 
of  Centreville,  crossed  the  Ohio  at  Steuben- 
ville,  and  tarried  with  Governor  Ritner,  seven 
miles  from  Washington,  several  days.  He 
treated  us  with  the  greatest  kindness  and  hos- 
pitality. From  thence  I  arrived  safe  home,  after 
a  journey  of  five  weeks,  somewhat  out  of  pock- 
et in  money,  having  received  for  my  traveling 
expenses  and  services,  three  dollars.  But  then, 
we  preached  the  Gospel  free  of  charge,  and 
when  we  could  not  find  entertainment  with 
brethren  and  friends,  we  put  up  at  public  Inns, 
which  was  not  unfrequently  the  case.  / 


CHAPTER  XHI. 

AFFECTING    SCENE. 

At  a  meeting  held  in  my  house,  on  a  certain 
occasion,  brother  Price  preaclied.  He  related 
a  circumstance,  which  deeply  afiected  his  hear- 
ers at  the  time.  He  said,  that  he  was  acquaint- 
ed with  a  family  in  Ohio,  consisting  of  the  pa- 
rents and  three  daughters,  all  of  them  living 
"  without  God,  and  without  hope  in  the  world." 
On  one  occasion,  the  oldest  daughter,  Jane,  was 


158  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

converted  at  a  religious  meeting.  The  news 
soon  reached  her  father's  ears,  "that  his  daugh- 
ter Jane  had  got  religion,"  and  as  he  had  no 
regard  for  relis^ion  himself,  hut  was  an  enemy 
to  it,  he  became  very  much  irritated  at  the  re- 
port, and  resolved  either  to  put  a  stop  to  such 
things  in  his  family,  or  else  to  banish  the  sub- 
jects of  them  from  it.  So  when  she  came  home, 
he  coolly  said  to  her, 

"  Jane,  I  hear  a  bad  report  about  you."  She 
replied, 

"  What  is  it,  father,  that  you  have  heard  about 
me  ?"     He  responded, 

"  I  am  told  that  you  have  gotten  religion.  Is 
it  so?"     She  answered, 

"  All  true,  father.  But  how  can  it  be  bad 
news  that  your  child  should  be  converted,  and 
try  to  save  her  soul  ?"     He  rejoined, 

"  As  to  that,  I  consider  it  bad  enough,  that 
any  part  of  my  family  should  disgrace  them- 
selves, by  adopting  and  acting  upon  such  fool- 
ish notions  as  religion.  I  look  upon  it  all  as 
sheer  hypocrisy.  It  does  not  become  people  of 
our  rank  in  society  to  adopt  such  measures." 
She  replied, 

"  Well,  father  !  According  to  the  way  in 
which  you  instructed  our  family,  I  was  of  the 


REV.    SAMUEL   H TIBER  159 

same  opinion  with  yourself.  But  when  the 
Lord  convicted  me  of  the  error  of  my  ways,  I 
saw  that  I  was  wrong  in  my  opinions.  There- 
fore, I  sought  and  found  him,  to  the  joy  of  my 
heart !  Glory  be  to  his  name  !"  He  respond- 
ed, 

"  I  see,  Jane,  that  you  have  been  deluded  by 
those  religionists,  whose  aim  is  to  subvert  the 
world.  Every  convert  they  make,  shouts  glory. 
E'ow,  to  be  short  about  the  matter  :  I  want  to 
hear  none  of  your  preaching.  You  must  either 
give  up  your  religious  notions,  or  leave  my 
house  aud  look  out  for  yourself."     She  replied, 

"  Dear  father  !  I  will  obey  you  in  all  things 
lawful,  as  becomes  a  dutiful  child.  But,  after 
what  the  Lord  has  done  for  me,  I  cannot  think 
of  forsaking  him.  I  am  determined,  through 
his  grace,  to  try  to  save  my  soul  at  all  hazards." 
To  this  he  said, 

"  Jane,  I  will  give  you  three  weeks'  time  to 
consider  this  matter ;  and  if,  at  the  expiration  of 
that  time,  you  are  still  determined  to  persevere 
in  your  delusive  ways,  you  must  leave  my 
house  and  seek  quarters  elsewhere." 

During  the  time  allotted  her  for  considering 
the  subject,  she  continued  to  ask  for  grace  and 
strength  from  her  heavenly  father.    Her  soul 


160  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

was  strengtliened  in  the  Lord.  The  promise, 
*'  and  every  one  that  hath  forsaken  houses,  or 
brethren,  or  sisters,  or  father,  or  mother,  or 
wife,  or  children,  or  lands,  for  my  name's  sake, 
sliall  receive  an  hundred-fold,  and  shall  inherit 
everlasting  life,"  (Matth.  19  :  29)  was  strongly 
impressed  upon  her  heart.  At  the  expiration 
of  the  three  weeks,  her  father  waited  upon  her, 
and  requested  an  answer  as  to  what  she  intend- 
ed to  do.  She  replied,  that  she  would  obey 
him  in  all  lawful  commands;  but  as  her  heav- 
enly father  had  adopted  her  into  his  family,  and 
promised  in  his  word  to  take  care  of  his  chil- 
dren, she  had,  therefore,  concluded  to  remain 
faithful  to  the  grace  given  unto  her.  He  then 
told  her  to  leave  his  house.  At  this  injunction, 
she  gathered  up  her  clothes  and  made  ready  for 
departure.  But  before  doing  so,  she  bid  fare- 
well to  her  mother  and  sisters,  taking  an  affec- 
tionate leave  of  them,  not  knowing  whether 
they  would  meet  again  or  not. 

This  was  truly  a  deeply  exciting  scene. — 
Mother  and  daughters  were  weeping,  as  if  at 
the  death-bed  side  of  a  beloved  departing  rela- 
tive. Just  think  of  it,  reader,  an  affectionate 
family  about  to  be  separated,  for  no  other  reason, 
than  because  one  of  its  members  had  gotten  re- 
ligion, and  wanted  to  serve  the  Lord. 


REV.    SAMUEL   RUBER.  161 

And  SO,  after  Jane  left,  the  mother  and  two 
daughters  still  weeping,  the  second  sister  said, 
"  Since  Jane  is  gone,  I  will  follow  her,"  and 
began  to  gather  tip  her  clothes  for  that  purpose. 
The  third  sister  then  replied,  "  Yes  !  and  if  my 
two  sisters  go,  I  will  go  also,"  at  the  same  time 
making  ready  to  start. 

At  this,  the  mother  went  to  her  husband,  ex- 
claiming, with  rolling  tears,  "  You  are  robbing 
me  of  rny  children.  I  can  not  live  without  them. 
If  they  go,  I  wall  go  with  them.*  At  this,  the 
father's  heart  gave  in.  He  could  stand  the  sight 
no  longer.  Hastily  did  he  send  after  Jane  to 
return.  "When  she  came  back,  he  requested 
her  to  pray  for  him.  They  all  fell  upon  their 
knees,  when  Jane  poured  out-  her  soul  in  pray- 
er in  their  behalf.  In  the  course  of  a  short  time 
after  this,  the  whole  family  were  made  parta- 
kers of  saving  grace,  and  went  on  their  way, 
serving  Him,  who,  through  the  w^orkings  of  his 
Spirit,  frequently  makes  a  child  the  means  of 
converting  the  parents,  together  with  the  rest 
of  the  household. 

About  twelve    years  ago,   brother    Daniel 

*  When  brother  Price  was  relating  this  case,  at  the  instant 
he  repeated  the  exclamation  of  the  mother,  "  If  they  go,  I 
will  go  with  them,"  a  woman  in  the  congregation  spoke  out, 
"  And  so  would  I." 


62  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

Whisler,  then  residing  in  Cumberland  county, 
"^ve  miles  from  Newburg,  Pa.,  requested  me  to 
hold  a  big  meeting  at  his  house,  alleging  that 
there  had  not  been  a  big  meeting  held  there 
yet,  and  that  preaching  was  much  needed  in  that 
section  of  country.  Accordingly,  a  meeting 
was  appointed,  which  commenced  at  10  o'clock, 
A.  M,,  on  Saturday,  at  which  time  I  preached 
to  a  large  audience  in  the  barn.  After  preach- 
ing, I  baptized  two  men  by  immersion,  three 
times,  face  forward ;  also  two  women,  by  pour- 
ing, who  were  kneeling  in  the  water  at  the 
time.  Late  in  the  afternoon  we  partook  of 
dinner  and  supper  together.  It  may  surprise 
some  of  our  modern  folks,  when  I  state,  that 
between  three  and  four  hundred  persons  ate  at 
brother  Whisler's  table,  during  that  meeting, 
and  that  he  besides  fed  a  great  number  of  horses- 
He  had  made  great  calculations,  and  prepared 
accordingly. 

After  having  taken  refreshment,  we  held  an 
experience  meeting,  at  which  many  persons 
gave  an  account  of  their  religious  experience. 
In  the  evening,  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per was  administered  to  a  large  number  of  par- 
ticipants, after  which,  feet  washing  was  attend- 
ed to. 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  168 

On  the  next  day,  Sunday,  I  preached  at  10 
o'clock,  A.  M.  A  number  of  preachers  also 
assisted  at  the  meeting.  In  the  evening  five 
mourners  came  out  seeking  the  Lord.  At  this 
meeting,  which  continued  for  several  days,  a 
good  religious  work  commenced,  by  means  of 
which,  in  the  course  of  some  time,  from  forty  to 
fifty  persons  became  converted,  many  of  whom 
united  together  in  church  fellowship,  as  an  or- 
der of  their  own,  separate  from  other  Churches. 
And  as  they  had  no  regular  preacher  to  serve 
them,  they  selected  brother  Whisler  as  their 
pastor,  who  attended  to  them  in  that  capacity, 
from  ten  to  twelve  years.  During  this  time,  in 
company  with  brothers  Bickly,  J.  Senseny,  D. 
Funkhouser,  J.  and  D.  Basehore,  and  other  lo- 
cal preachers,  we  assisted  brother  Whisler  to 
hold  meetings  at  his  house,  and  in  the  neigh- 
borhood. I  attended  personally  several  times  a 
year.  "Within  the  past  year,  brother  Whisler 
and  his  society,  attached  themselves  to  the 
Church  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ. 
Brother  Whisler  is  now  a  local  preacher  among 
lis.  All  this  work  was  begun  and  carried  for- 
ward through  the  local  ministry. 

I  had  regular  appointments  at  brothers  Peter 
Cook  and  Jacob  Whitmore's,  and  in  the  Union 


1G4  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

school  house  in  the  Dutch  Settlement,  at  wliich 
places  I  ofhciated  alternatelj^  At  one  time, 
while  we  were  holding  meeting  in  brother  Whit- 
more's  barn,  a  thunder  gust  came  up,  with  viv- 
id flashes  of  lightning  and  heavy  thunder,  just 
at  the  time  I  Avas  preaching.  A  woman  in  the 
congregation  jumped  upon  her  feet,  crying  out, 
"  Lord  Jesus,"  and  fell  down.  She  afterwards 
got  religion  in  her  house. 

At  a  meeting  in  the  Union  school  house,  sev- 
eral souls  were  made  happy  during  preaching. 
One  old  Presbyterian  rose  up  waiving  his  hands 
up  and  down  and  praising  the  Lord. 

I  used  to  leave  home  on  Sunday  morning, 
ride  on  horseback  to  the  Union  school  house, 
be  there  at  10  o'clock.  Thence  I  went  to  Pe- 
ter Cook's  at  3  o'clock,  and  thence  to  Cham- 
bersburg  in  the  evening  at  candle  light,  and 
preached  at  each  place.  I  returned  home  the 
same  night,  making  a  circuit  of  about  thirty 
miles  in  one  day.  The  next  morning  I  went  to 
work  at  my  trade. 

In  Rockingham  county,  Virginia,  at  one  time 
while  I  was  preaching  in  a  Lutheran  church,  a 
man  rose  up  in  the  congregation,  and  cried  out, 
"  I  am  Tom  Paine,  every  drop  of  blood  within 
me."     This  he  did  repeatedly,  to  the  great  an- 


REV.  SAMUEL   HUBEH.  165 

noyance  of  the  congregation.  And,  inasmucli 
as  be  was  "  Tom  Paine,"  throughout,  as  he 
said  he  was,  his  conduct  heretofore  correspond- 
ed with  his  principles.  He  insulted  all  profes- 
sors of  religion  who  came  in  his  way.  But, 
at  this  time,  he  met  his  match.  For  there  was 
in  the  meeting,  a  brother  Stephler,  a  man  of 
great  muscular  strength.  He  coolly  rose  up, 
and  took  hold  of,  "  Tom  Paine  "  by  the  back 
and  neck  collar  of  his  coat  and  the  seat  of  his 
pants,  and  pushed  him  out  of  the  church,  and 
in  this  way,  run  him  across  the  street,  into 
another  house,  where  he  held  him  in  durance, 
until  the  meeting  was  closed. 

Inasmuch,  as  the  relating  of  religious  experi- 
ence, is  frequently  made  a  blessing  to  other 
persons,  I  will,  for  the  benefit  of  some  of  my 
readers,  whom  it  may  suit,  relate  the  following, 
as  given  to  me  by  a  brother.  He  said  :  "About 
fifteen  or  twenty  years  after  I  had  experienced 
religion,  one  night,  at  the  time  I  was  reading 
Doctor  Clark's  notes  upon  the  Scriptures,  an 
instantaneous  dark  and  gloomy  spell  came  over 
my  mind  and  heart.  It  was  suggested,  that 
I  never  had  been  converted — that  my  views 
and  feelings  on  religious  subjects  were  alto- 
gether delusive,  consisting  in  vague  notions,  &c. 


166  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

I  felt  horror  stricken,  not  knowing  what  all  this 
meant,  or  whence  it  came.  I  became  greatly 
alarmed. 

In  this  state  of  mind  and  distress,  I  went  to 
my  mother-in-law.  She  was  an  old  soldier  of 
the  cross — had  experienced  religion,  and  kept 
it  from  her  youth,  and  had  endured  many 
trials,  and  temptations,  in  her  journey  thus  far. 
But  loni?  since  that  time,  she  has  gone  to  join 
some  of  her  former  classmates,  in  the  kingdom 
above,  where  the  devil  never  enters.  When  I 
came  to  her,  she  looked  at  me  with  great  sur- 
prise, and  exclaimed, 

"Why  !  John,  what  is  the  matter  with  you  ? 
I  see  by  your  countenance,  there  is  something 
wrong."     I  replied, 

"  Yes,  mother,  I  feel  as  if  the  devil  were  try- 
ing to  get  me  to  give  up  my  religious  pursuits." 
She  asked, 

"  Well,  what  do  you  want  me  to  do?"  I  an- 
swered, 

"  I  want  you  to  come  into  the  room,  and  pray 
with  me  for  grace  to  overcome  the  tempter." 

And  so  the  old  lady  and  myself  went  into  a 
room  to  pray.     As  she  entered  it,  she  said, 

"I  feel  as  if  the  powers  of  darkness  were 
here."    I  replied, 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  167 

"  And  so  do  I,  mother." 

We  continued  in  prayer  for  several  hours 
together.  At  length  I  told  her  to  retire  ;  that 
I  would  hold  on  by  faith  and  prayer.  I  contin- 
ued to  pray  by  myself  during  the  night,  but 
found  no  relief  then.  It  was  a  dark  and  gloomy 
night  to  me.  JSText  morning  I  went  to  brother 
Prettyman.  He  was  preacher  in  charge  of  the 
Chambersburg  station  at  the  time.  I  commu- 
nicated to  him  the  state  of  my  mind  and  feel- 
ings. He  said  "  he  had  undergone  a  similar 
trial  at  one  time  in  his  life,  and  it  was  three 
months  before  he  got  through  it.  But  when 
he  did  get  the  victory,  it  was  the  greatest  spir- 
itual blessing  he  had  ever  experienced  up  to 
that  time."     He  encouraged  me  to  pray  on. 

After  this  I  went  to  brother  Thomas  Yates, 
then  a  local  preacher  in  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church,  but  many  years  since  gone  over 
Jordan.  I  gave  him  a  statement  of  my  expe- 
rience, and,  as  he  was  one  of  that  sort  of  people 
who  did  not  keep  secret,  what  they  told  other 
persons,  he  replied,  "  That's  right  for  you,  John. 
You  and  the  devil  are  about  having  a  fight. 
But  you  must  hold  on  by  faith  and  prayer ;" 
adding,  "  this  trial  will  do  you  good." 

That  was  a  dark  day  to  my  soul.     I  could 


168  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

neither  eat  nor  work.  I  went  about  during  the 
day  laboring  under  great  heaviness,  by  reason 
of  manifold  temptations,  all  the  while  engaged 
in  prayer,  mentally  and  otherwise.  Towards 
evening,  a  short  time  before  going  to  a  prayer 
meeting,  I  opened  the  Bible.  The  first  passage 
I  cast  my  eyes  upon  was  the  first  Epistle  of 
John  2 : 1,  2,  "  And  if  any  man  sin,  we  have  an 
advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the 
righteous  ;  And  he  is  the  propitiation  for  our 
sins  ;  and  not  for  ours  only,  but  also,  for  the 
sins  of  the  whole  world."  I  was  standing  at 
the  time,  and  it  appeared  to  me,  as  if  the  devil 
was  standing  along  side  of  me.  So,  after  I  had 
read  the  passages,  I  pointed  with  my  finger  to 
them,  exclaiming,  vocally,  I  think,  as  if  speak- 
ing to  a  person  standing  beside  me,  "Devil !  do 
you  see  that  ?  Look  at  it !  Here  is  my  advo- 
cate,  even  Jesus  Christ !  To  you,  I  am  under 
no  obligations  to  confess  ;  but  to  God,  I  confess 
my  short-comings."  I  added,  "You  may  do 
your  worst  now.  This  Scripture  gives  new 
hope, to  my  soul." 

I  closed  the  book,  went  to  the  prayer  meet- 
ing, pleading  the  Saviour's  merits,  and  while  a 
brother  was  praying,  in  an  instant,  a  stroke  of 
divine  love  and  power  entered  my  heart.  All 
n\y  doubts  and  fears  were  gone,  and^  in  their 


REV.    SAMUEL  HUBER.  169 

place  love,  joy  and  peace  filled  my  heart.     I 
could  sing  again,  what  I  had  often  sung  before: 

"  I  know  that  my  Eedeemer  lives. 

And  ever  pray?  for  me  : 
A  token  of  his  love  he  gives, 

A  pledge  of  liberty." 

On  my  way  home  from  the  meeting,  the  heav- 
ens— stars — and  cill  creation  appeared  new. — 
When  I  came  to  the  house,  my  mother-in-law 
met  me,  an(?,  with  joy  in  her  countenance, 
exclaimed, 

"Why!  John,  I  see  by  your  countenance, 
you  have  got  the  blessing."     I  replied, 

"  Yes  !  mother,  thank  God !  I  feel  it ;  and 
that's  better  than  sight." 

"We  then  had  a  good  time  together,  talking 
about  Jesus.  That  was  a  joyful  night  to  my 
soul.  I  spent  the  greater  part  of  it  walking 
about  praising  the  Lord.  Since  that  time,  I 
have  had  many  ups  and  downs  in  the  world, 
but  am  still  on  my  way  to  the  promised  land. 

FATHER   GEISSEMAN'S   EXPERIENCE  AND   DEATH. 

Father  Geisseman  said  to  me,  "  In  the  Eev- 
olutionary  war  I  served  my  country  in  the  ar- 
my under  General  Washington.  During  the 
time  of  a  battle  with  the  enemy,  when  bullets 
were  flying  and  whistling  past  me,  I  was  con- 
12 


170  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

victed  of  my  sins,  and  felt,  that  if  I  should  be 
shot  dead,  my  soul  would  be  lost.  I  lifted  up 
my  heart  to  God  in  prayer,  and  promised,  that 
if  he  would  preserve  my  life,  I  would  serve  him 
the  remainder  of  my  days. 

Many  years  after  this,  1  w^ent  to  hear  father 
Otterbein  preach  at  Guething's  old  church, 
twelve  miles  from  Hagerstown.  Md.  Immense 
crowds  of  hearers  were  present  at  the  time, 
many  of  them  standing  outside  o?  the  church. 
"When  Otterbein  was  preaching,  staiiding  in  the 
church  door,  he  became  exhausted,  thxough  over 
exertion,  in  order  to  be  heard.  His  voice  and 
strength  failing,  and  knowing  that  the  people 
could  not  all  hear  him,  he  paused,  and  with 
arms  and  hands  extended  towards  heaven,  ex- 
claimed :  '  0  Lord  God,  if  I  am  thy  servant, 
assist  and  strengthen  me  once  more,  to  declare 
thy  truth.'  After  this,  he  felt  himself  quicken- 
ed and  revived,  through  the  power  of  God,  and 
stood,  appearing  like  a  'flame  of  fire,'  during  the 
closing  part  of  his  discourse."  "  That  sermon," 
added  Geisseman,  "went  home  to  my  heart,  I 
never  rested  until  my  soul  was  converted  to 
God." 

After  father  Geisseman  got  religion,  he  open- 
ed his  house  for  meetings.    Many  refreshing 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  171 

seasons  of  grace  were  enjoyed  in  them.  He 
was  an  example  for  Christians,  and  a  pillar  in 
the  Church.  A  few  days  before  his  death,  I 
visited  him.  He  was  happy  in  view  of  his  lat- 
ter end,  and  afterwards  left  this  world,  in  hope 
of  a  glorious  resurrection.  Brother  J.  Crider 
and  myself  officiated  at  his  funeral. 

At  a  camp  meeting  on  my  brother  Abraham's 
land,  near  my  residence,  about  forty  rowdies  had 
collected  together  on  a  Friday  night,  threatening 
to  storm  the  camp  the  next  night,  if  it  would  not 
be  broken  up.  Accordingly,  on  Saturday  night 
about  10  o'clock,  they  met  near  the  spring,  a 
short  distance  from  the  camp.  They  were  arm- 
ed with  clubs  and  other  offensive  weapons, 
well  prepared  for  battle.  They  uttered  repeat- 
ed huzzas,  struck  their  clubs  against  the  fence, 
&c. 

"While  this  was  was  going  on,  I  was  sitting  in 
the  preachers'  stand.  On  hearing  the  noise,  I 
thought  it  was  at  my  house.  I  left  the  stand 
and  repaired  to  it,  but  found  all  quiet  there. 
I  then  went  to  the  spring,  where  the  rowdies, 
under  the  command  of  their  ring-leader,  were 
mustering  their  forces  in  military  order.  This 
being  done,  they  moved  towards  the  camp.  I 
quietly,  unknown  to  them,  followed  in  their 
rear. 


172  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

When  thej  came  to  the  camp  ground,  they 
posted  themselves,  rank  and  file,  in  front  of  it, 
making  ready  for  the  onset.  Just  ahout  the 
time  they  were  making  the  start  for  a  row,  I 
went  peaceably  up  to  the  ring-leader,  took  hold 
of  him  by  the  collar  of  his  coat,  and  said  to 
him,  "  "What  in  the  world  are  you  going  to  do  ? 
If  you  make  any  further  disturbance,  you  sub- 
ject yourselves  to  heavy  prosecutions.  Your 
names  are  known.  If  you  do  not  desist  from 
this  disturbance,  you  will  be  prosecuted." 

At  this,  he  remained  speechless  and  quiet. 
I  then  requested  him  to  come  into  the  congre- 
gation and  take  a  seat,  and  hear  the  preaching, 
which  was  then  going  on.  He  at  once  assented. 
I  lead  him  to  a  seat,  some  of  his  fellows  crying 
out  at  the  same  time,  "  Dont  you  go.  They 
want  to  put  you  under  guard."  I  told  him  it 
was  not  so  ;  he  should  sit  down,  which  he  did. 
The  rest  of  the  gang,  seeing  their  captain 
grounding  arms,  became  quiet,  except  two  of 
them,  who  threw  stones  into  the  camp.  But, 
being  pursued  by  some  of  the  camp  guard, 
they  fled,  and,  in  the  dark,  run  into  a  pond  of 
water,  in  the  lower  end  of  a  meadow  and  made 
their  escape  through  it.  After  this,  there  was 
no  more  disturbance  on  the  2:round. 


REV.    SAMUEL   IIUBER.  173 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

VISITING  THE  SICK A  EENJAMINITE. 

Some  years  ago,  there  resided,  not  one  hun- 
dred miles  from  the  Rocky  Spring,  Mr.  J , 

with  his  family.  The  old  folks  were  over  fifty 
years  of  age  at  the  time  of  this  occurrence. 
Their  son,  with  his  wife,  lived  in  the  same 
house  with  them  at  the  time.  The  son's  wife 
was  sick.  She  was  consumptive,  and  had  no 
hope  of  recovery.  iTot  being  prepared  for  death, 
she  sent  for  a  certain  minister  of  the  gospel, 
professedly  such,  and  inquired  of  him,  saying, 

"  Can  a  person  know  his  sins  forgiven,  and 
have  peace  with  God  in  this  world,  before  he 
dies  ?"  adding,  that  "  she  had  heard  Samuel 
Huber  preach  the  doctrine,  that  we  must  be 
born  again,  and  know  our  sins  forgiven  in  this 
life,  or  we  will  be  lost."     The  minister  replied, 

"  We  can  not  know  our  sins  forgiven  in  this 
life." 

This  did  not  satisfy  her.  She  sent  for  a  min- 
ister of  another  religious  denomination,  and 
asked  him  the  same  question.  He  gave  her 
the  same  answer  the  former  one  had  given. 


174  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   QF 

But  she  was  still  uneasy  with  regard  to  her  fu- 
ture state.  She  sent  a  messenger  to  me  re- 
questing me  to  come  to  see  her,  as  shei;vishedto 
speak  to  me  about  the  state  of  her  soul.  At  the 
same  time,  it  was  added,  that  I  should  not  let 

her  father-in-law,  Mr.   J ,  know  that  she 

had  sent  for  me.  It  was  desired  that  my  visit 
should  appear  merely  as  that  of  a  neighbor,  in- 
asmuch as  the  old  gentleman  was  a  wicked  man 
and  opposed  to  religion. 

In  company  with  brother  John  Crider,  I  went 
to  Mr.  J 's  house.  The  sick  woman's  hus- 
band and  his  uncle  were  sitting  in  the  room, 
where  she  was  lying  in  bed,  at  the  time  we  came 
there.  The  father-in-law  had  gone  for  the  Doc- 
tor to  Strasburg.  She  then  related  to  us  the 
foregoing  conversations,  which  she  had  had  with 
the  ministers,  and  requested  us  to  sing  and 
pray  with  and  for  her.  ^  e  commenced  to  sing, 
at  which  her  husband  and  his  uncle  left  the 
room,  and  went  out  of  the  house.  "We  kneeled 
down  to  pray.  While  brother  Crider  was  pray- 
ing, the  old  man  having  returned,  rushed  into 
the  room,  crying  out,  "  That's  enough — that's 
enough  of  such  things.  I  want  no  such  work 
in  my  house.  We  had  two  priests  here.  We 
don't  want  you  here.     It  is  time  enough  when 


REV.  SAMUEL    HUBER.  175 

you  are  sent  for.  Let  every  pig  eat  out  of  his 
own  trough."  At  the  same  time,  he  took  hold 
of  a  chair  and  lifting  it  up,  continued,  ''Begone 
out  of  my  house,  or  I  will  knock  you  down 
with  this  chair." 

I  jumped  up  from  my  knees — took  hold  of 
the  chair  he  held  in  his  hands — wrested  it  from, 
him — told  him  to  sit  down  and  be  quiet — I 
wanted  to  talk  to  him — adding,  that  he  was  not 
going  to  scare  me  off  in  this  way.  When  I 
wrested  the  chair  from  his  hands,  he  became 
powerless — said  no  more — and  walked  away. 
I  remained  for  some  time,  talking  with  the  sick 
woman,  her  mother-in-law  and  her  daughter. 

After  awhile,  the  old  man  returned,  and  said, 

^'  Are  you  here  yet  ?"     I  said, 

"  Yes,  I  am,  I  came  to  pay  a  neighbor's  viS' 
it.  I  have  done  no  harm  here.  I  will  go  away 
when  I  please." 

I  then  bade  farewell  and  left.  A  few  days  af- 
ter this  the  sick  woman  died.  I  went  early  in 
the  naorning  to  attend  her  funeral.     When  Mr. 

J saw  me  approach,  he  opened  the  gate, 

looked  much  cut  down,  and  lamented,  saying 
my  daughter-in-law  is  dead,  and  my  son  is 
lying  sick  up  stairs;  and  so  this  affair  ended. 

Some  time  after  this,  Mr.  J 's  grand-son 


176  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

took  sick.  He  sent  for  me  to  come  to  see  him. 
"When  I  came  there,  I  asked  the  sick  man, 

"  What  do  you  want  with  me  ?"  He  an- 
swered, 

"  I  want  you  to  baptize  me,  and  give  me  the 
sacrament."     I  inquired, 

"Have  you  been  converted  and  experienced 
a  change  of  heart  ?"     He  said, 

"No."     I  told  him, 

"  That  baptism  and  the  sacrament  would  not 
save  him.  He  must  call  upon  God  for  mercy 
and  get  religion  before  I  would  baptize  him ;  as 
it  would  be  of  no  use  to  do  so,  before  he  was 
converted." 

He  then  cried  out,  that  we  should  sing  and 
pray  for  him.  While  singing,  the  old  grand- 
father, J ,  with  another  old  sinner,  left  the 

room.  We  kneeled  in  prayer.  The  sick  man 
began  to  pray  in  good  earnest.  After  I  rose 
from  my  knees,  he  looked  me  full  in  the  face, 
still  praying.  I  urged  him  to  pray  on,  and  look 
to  God  through  Jesus  Christ,  for  mercy.  He 
continued  to  do  so  for  over  one  hour,  when  he 
was  happily  converted  to  God.  Clapping  his 
hands,  he  exclaimed,  "  Glory  to  Got !  Glory  to 
Got!" 

At  this  juncture,  an  English  woman   came 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  177 

into  the  room.  He  continued,  "  Glory  to  Got. 
Got  converted  my  soul.  I  can  talk  English 
now."  After  this,  I  administered  to  him  bap- 
tism and  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  left  for  that 
evening.  The  next. morning  I  went  to  see  him 
again.  His  bodily  pains  had  left  him.  He  was 
lying  in  bed,  waving  his  hands  expressive  of 
happiness,  and  with  smiles  in  his  countenance, 
continued  to  do  so  until  evening,  when  he  died. 
By  request,  I  preached  his  funeral  sermon  to  a 
large  concourse  of  attendants. 

J^ow,  inasmuch  as  Mr.  J was  a  strict 

church-member- — belonged  to  a  religious  de- 
nomination, we  have  here  one  case  out  of  a  thou- 
sand, in  which  church-members,  who  make  a 
religious  profession  and  partake  of  the  sacra- 
ment, at  the  same  time  have  no  religion  ;  and 
not  only  do  they  neglect  to  obtain  religion 
themselves,  but  also  try  to  prevent  others  from 
doing  so.  How  hard  and  bigoted  must  have 
been  the  heart  of  this  man,  to  refuse  to  allow 
prayer  to  be  made  in  behalf  of  his  daughter-in- 
law,  when  she  was  so  near  her  latter  end  !  But 
as  he  is  gone  to  give  an  account  of  his  doings 
before  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth,  I  forbear  fur- 
ther comment,  hoping  only  that  others  of  like 
stamp,  may  not  do  as  he  did. 


178  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF 

On  a  certain  occasion  I  attended  a  large  camp 
meeting  held  on  brother  Middlecauif's  land,  a 
few  miles  from  Hagerstown,  Md.  Much  good 
was  done  during  its  continuance.  A.mong  the 
preachers  who  attended  it,  were  sons  of  conso- 
lation, with  some  sons  of  thunder.  There  was 
some  smiting  with  the  hand  and  stamping  with 
the  foot,  in  accordance  with  prophetic  st^de. 
The  truth  was  proclaimed  in  unmistakable 
terms,  by  showing  to  sinners,  in  and  out  of 
Zion,  their  sins,  and  the  horde  of  dead  religious 
professors  their  transgressions. 

An  occurrence  took  place  during  the  meet- 
ing, wdiich  tended  to  awaken  the  risibilities  of 
the  most  sedate  person  upon  the  ground.  Du- 
ring one  of  the  public  services,  a  diminutive  an- 
imal in  the  shape  of  a  ''•''dandy,'"  frequently 
called  a  half  cut,  was  protuberating  about  the 
ground.  Sometimes  he  was  found  on  the  men's 
side  of  the  aisle,  and  at  other  times  on  the 
women's  side  of  it,  with  whip  in  hand.  It 
appeared  as  if  he  wanted  to  make  up  in  appear- 
ance, what  he  lacked  in  stature.  This  he  did 
by  his  contemptuous  airs,  assuming  to  be  some- 
thing great. 

In  this  way,  he  continued  stalking  about  the 
camp,  to  the  great  annoyance  of  the  congrega- 


REV.    SAMUEL   RUBER.  179 

tion.  Several  of  the  brethren  expostulated  with 
him  upon  the  impropriety  of  his  course,  and  re- 
quested him  to  cease.  But  these  mild  means 
only  tended  to  make  him  the  more  obstreper- 
ous ;  and  with  loud  vociferations,  he  was  bent 
upon  annoying  the  meeting.  As  the  breth- 
ren did  not  wish  to  raise  a  tumult  during  the 
preaching,  they  left  him  alone. 

Now,  it  does  not  unfrequently  happen,  in  the 
cburse  of  human  events,  that  the  old  fable  of  the 
boy  in  the  apple  tree,  who  would  not  be  per- 
suaded by  mild  words  to  come  down  out  of  it, 
but  had  to  submit  to  the  force  of  stones,  is  ful- 
ly illustrated  in  life,  in  different  ways  ;  and  so 
it  was  in  this  case.  There  was  a  man  in  the 
camp  named  Andrew  ITewcomer,  son  of  father 
I^ewcomer,  This  Andrew  was  in  stature  some- 
what akin  to  "  Goliath  of  Gath."  The  dandy 
was  a  mere  pigmy  compared  with  him.  An- 
drew, seeing  that  mild  words  had  no  effect  upon 
this  "  son  of  Belial,"  and  also  believing,  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  declaration  of  old,  that  "  the 
wicked  shall  be  cast  out  of  the  congregation," 
cooly,  and  in  good  humor,  went  to  him,  and 
taking  hold  of  him  by  the  collar  of  his  coat 
w^ith  his  left  hand  and  fastening  his  right  hand 
on  the  seat  of  his  pants,  lifted  him  up  before  all 


180  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

the  people  and  the  preachers,  as  a  woman  would 
lift  np  and  carry  her  child  upon  her  hands.  In 
this  posture,  to  the  amusement  of  some  and  as- 
tonishment of  others,  he  carried  him  out  of  the 
camp,  and  pitched  him  upon  a  brush  heap. 
And  so,  after  this  "  Benjaminite  "  had  recovered 
from  his  fright,  he  got  up  and  scampered  ofi"  as 
fast  as  his  legs  could  carry  him.  To  the  great 
joy  of  all  the  people,  he  was  no  more  seen  upon 
the  ground.  The  devil  had  met  with  his  match, 
and  the  exercises  of  the  meeting  went  on  with- 
out further  molestation. 

Many  years  ago,  brother  Samuel  Bowman 
resided  in  the  State  of  Maryland.  He  was  the 
owner  of  a  good  limestone  farm,  and  doing  well 
in  the  world.  But,  inasmuch  as  he  enjoyed  no 
rest  or  contentment  in  his  then  situation,  he 
sold  out  and  removed  to  Aughwick  valley, 
near  the  Burnt  Cabins,  Pa.,  and  settled  upon 
sterile  land.  After  he  had  remained  there  for 
some  time,  he  desired  to  have  religious  meet- 
ings in  his  house.  He  requested  brothers  John 
and  David  Bear,  father  Dehuff,  John  Crider, 
and  myself,  to  preach  there,  which  we  did  alter- 
nately, at  regular  appointments,  for  several 
years.  After  that,  his  house  was  taken  into  a 
circuit,  and  became  a  regular  preaching  place 
for  the  United  Brethren. 


REV.    SAMUEL   IIUBER.  181 

At  one  time  a  camp  meeting  was  appointed 
to  be  held  on  his  ground.  At  the  appointed 
time  in  the  morning,  as  I  was  preparing  to  leave 
home  for  the  camp,  I  was  waited  upon  by  Mr. 
Taylor,  with  an  urgent  request  to  come  to  Mr. 
Christian  Lutz's  house,  near  Greenvillage,  to 
visit  his  daughter  I^ancy,  who  was  then  sick. 
I  told  him,  that 

"  I  was  just  about  starting  for  the  Burnt  Cab- 
ins' camp."     He  replied, 

'^  You  must  come,  as  Nancy  Lutz  will  not  be 
satisfied  unless  you  do  so." 

I  went.  When  I  arrived  in  the  house.  Miss 
Lutz  was  confined  to  bed  with  a  fever.  It  was 
said  she  had  the  "yellow  fever."     I  asked  her 

"  What  do  you  want  with  me !"  She  an- 
swered, 

"  I  want  you  to  sing,  and  pray  for  me.  I 
cannot  consent  to  die  in  my  present  condition." 

Accordingly,  I  complied  with  her  request. 
After  this,  when,  about  to  leave,  she  begged  me 
earnestly  to  tarry  until  8  o'clock  in  the  even- 
ing. But,  inasmuch  as  I  had  promised  to  at- 
tend the  camp  meeting,  I  bade  her  farewell  and 
left.  When  I  got  home,  the  day  was  far  spent. 
I  concluded  to  remain  over  night  and  start  for 
the  camp  in  the  morning.     That  night  I  could 


182  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

not  sleep,  i^ancy  Lutz  was  continually  present 
to  my  mind.  Next  morning  I  rose  u|)  early. 
My  wife  asked  me, 

"Are  you  going  to  the  camp  ?"     I  said, 

"IN'ot  at  present.  I  have  no  rest.  I  must 
go  back  to  see  iTancy  Lutz,  before  I  go." 

At  the  moment  I  had  mounted  my  horse  to 
go  there,  Mr.  Taylor  came  to  me  and  said, 

"  You  must  come  back  to  see  Nancy  again. 
She  cannot  rest  unless  you  do  so." 

Iwent with  him.  "When  we  came  there,  Mr.  C. 
Lutz's  wife  was  lying  a  corpse,  having  died  the 
preceding  night.  Old  Mr.  Lutz  and  his  daugh- 
ter Nancy,  living  in  a  separate  part  of  the  house, 
were  confined  to  bed. 

It  was  during  the  time,  when  a  destructive 
epidemic  raged  throughout  the  countiy.  I  en- 
tered the  room  where  th  ey  were.  Nancy  was  in 
a  slumber.  I  looked  at  her  for  a  short  time,  and 
then  walked  out  of  the  room,  intending  to  de- 
part. Mr.  Taylor  followed  me  out,  and  said  to 
me, 

"  You  are  not  going  off,  are  you  ?"    I  replied, 

"  There  is  no  use  for  me  to  stay.  She  is  dy- 
ing and  knows  nothing  more  about  this  world." 
He  said, 

"  You  must  not  go  yet.    She  will  recover 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  183 

some,  soon.     She  was  talking  about  you  nearly 
all  the  past  night." 

So  I  rem-ained.  In  the  meantime,  IN'ancy 
awakened  out  of  her  slumber,  and  said  to  me, 

"  I  want  you  to  sing  and  pray."  Her  Father 
said, 

"  I  don't  think  it  necessary  to  pray.  She  is 
too  far  gone.  But  you  may  sing  a  few  verses." 
IsTancy  said, 

"  You  must  sing  and  pray  with  me  once 
more.  I  cannot  consent  to  die  in  my  present 
condition." 

During  this  time,  butchering  was  going  on 
in  the  kitchen  part  of  the  house.  Preparations 
were  making  for  Mrs.  Christian  Lutz's  funeral. 
Mr.  Lutz  said, 

"  How  can  you  pray,  while  there  is  so  much 
noise  in  the  house?" 

I  then  went  into  the  kitchen,  and  said  to  the 
persons  there, 

"Nancy  wants  me  to  sing  and  pray  once 
more,  before  she  dies." 

I  requested  them  to  come  into  the  room  and 
unite  with  us  in  worship.     To  this  they  assent- 
ed— came  into  the  room  and  united  in  singing.*' 
After  singing,  I  said,  "  I  will  pray  once  more. 
Let  us  kneel."    They  knelt  with  me.    "While 


184  AUTOBIOailAPIIY  OP 

engaged  in  prayer,  I  felt  access  to  God.  Before 
I  had  concluded,  N'ancy  received  the  blessings 
of  redeeming  love.  When  I  rose  up  from  my 
knees,  she  was  clapping  her  hands,  weak  as  she 
was  in  body,  praising  her  blessed  Redeemer, 
and  then  said, 

"  You  can  go  to  the  camp  meeting  now. 
The  Lord  has  pardoned  my  sins.  I  am  happy, 
andean  die  in  peace." 

I  left,  rejoicing  on  my  way  home.  That  night 
!N"ancy's  spirit  left  her  body,  and  went  to  the 
glory  land.  The  next  morning  I  started  for  the 
camp.     When  I  arrived  there,  I  was  asked, 

"What  kept  you  away  so  long?" 

I  related  the  cause  and  circumstances.  One 
of  the  brethren  said, 

"  Glory  to  God,  for  that ;  one  more  soul 
saved  ;"  to  which  others  responded.  Amen  ! 

I  remained  on  the  camp  ground,  in  the  capaci- 
ty of  Presiding  Elder,  until  the  meeting  closed. 
During  its  continuance,  among  other  converts, 
brother  Bowman's  son  George  and  his  wife,  got 
religion.  Thirty-two  persons  came  forward — 
professed  conversion,  and  joined  the  Church. 
**  When  I  saw  how  the  work  of  God  prospered 
in  this  region,  it  reminded  me  of  a  conversation 
I  had  held,  prior  to  this  time,  with  father  De- 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  185 

huff.  I  asked  him,  Wh}^  it  was,  that  Bowman 
had  no  peace,  nor  contentment,  although  a  con- 
verted man,  at  the  time  he  resided  on  a  good 
farm,  and  was  doing  well  in  the  world ;  but, 
that  he  should  have  left  it  and  moved  to  Augh- 
wick  valley,  a  poor  country,  when  he  could  have 
done  much  better  where  he  had  lived.  Dehuff 
referred  me  to  Psalm  68 :  14  :  "  When  the 
Almighty  scattered  kings  in  it,  it  was  white  as 
snow  in  Salmon."  The  German  version  reads, 
"  Wenn  der  Allmachtige  hin  und  wieder  unter 
ihnen  Konige  setzet,  so  wird  es  helle,  wo  es 
dunkel  ist."  From  this  verse,  it  is  evident,  that 
God  scatters  his  servants  over  the  earth,  by 
sending  them  into  regions  of  country  where 
spiritual  darkness  and  wickedness  reigns,  to 
open  the  way  for  the  preachiug  of  the  Gospel. 
By  such  means  the  truth  is  propagated.  As 
"  snow  "  is  "  white,"  representing  light,  so  the 
light  of  God's  word  is  "  white  as  snow  in  dark- 
ness," bringing  mankind  out  of  it  into  its 
"marvelous  light." 

But  the  passage  quoted,  says,  "  The  Al- 
mighty scattered  kings."  Are  all  God's  ser- 
vants "kings  ?"  John  in  the  Kevelations,  says, 
"  And  "  he  "  has  made  us  kings  and  priests 
unto  God  and  his  Father."  From  this,  it  ap- 
13 


186  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

pears,  that  God's  true  children  are  "  kings,"  in 
a  certain  sense.  As,  however,  I  do  not  intend 
to  preach  a  sermon  on  this  point  here,  I  will 
try  to  illustrate  the  case  of  Bowman  by  means 
of  a  dialogue. 

Question.  "  Were  there  not  other  people  re- 
siding in  that  country  at  the  time,  who  could 
have  done  the  same  things  w^hich  Bowman  did, 
without  his  leaving  his  comfortable  situation 
and  moving  there  ?" 

Ansioer.  "  There  were  other  persons  there, 
who  could  have  done  a  like  work  as  he  did;  but 
they  did  not  do  so." 

Q.     ^' Why  not?" 

A.  "Because  they  were  unconverted,  un- 
willing to  do  so,  being  lovers  of  the  world  and 
pleasure,  more  than  lovers  of  God.  They  had 
no  relish  for  such  things  as  the  cause  of  God." 

Q.  "  How  came  it  to  pass  then,  that,  after 
the  pioneers  of  the  Gospel  had  settled  and 
preached  in  those  dark  regions,  many  of  the 
people  adopted  their  views,  and  fell  into  and 
practised  the  same  measures  with  them  ?" 

A.  "  Such  are  the  workings  of  God's  Spirit 
upon  men's  hearts,  that,  when  they  become 
changed  by  it,  their  faculties,  formerly  engaged 
in  worldly  pursuits,  are  now  employed  in  the 
cause  of  God." 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER  187 

Qy  "  But  could  not  God  have  converted  some 
of  them,  and  set  them  to  work,  without  send- 
ino;  foreio^n  instruments  amono;  them  ?" 

A.  "  What  God  could  have  done,  it  is  not 
our  province  to  decide.  One  thing,  however,  is 
certain :  He  has,  in  many  cases,  converted  a 
solitary  sinner  in  the  wilderness,  without  for- 
eign aid,  through  whom,  as  an  instrument,  the 
way  was  opened  for  the  Gospel.  But,  as  a  gen- 
eral rule,  he  sends  his  missionaries  into  remote 
corners  of  the  earth,  with  the  command,  "  Go 
ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  Gospel  to 
every  creature,"  and  when  he  has  a  particular 
work  for  an  individual  to  perform,  impressions 
are  made  upon  his  mind  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to 
that  effect.  It  w^as  under  such  impressio7is,  I 
ojmie,  that  Bowman,  and  many  others,  emigrated 
to  places,  where  they  were  most  needed,  in  or- 
der to  open  the  way  for  Christ's  kingdom." 


CHAPTER  XV. 

MY   AFFLICTION — FAMILY   AFFAIRS. 

In  the  year  1842,  on  the  22nd  day  of  Au- 
gust, I  was  well  and  hearty  as  usual.  Hereto- 
fore, I  had  had  but  little   sickness,  being  a 


188  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF 

healthy  man.  That  night,  after  having  retired 
to  bed,  about  11  o'clock  I  rose  up  and  went  out 
on  the  porch  for  the  purpose  of  inhaling  fresh 
air.  I  then  began  to  feel  somewhat  unwell. 
After  remaining  on  the  porch  about  one  min- 
ute, I  returned  into  tlie  room,  when  I  was  sud- 
denly struck  senseless  and  fell  down  on  the 
floor.  In  this  state  I  lay  for  about  one  hour, 
after  which  I  recovered  my  senses,  and  came 
to  my  feelings.  I  then  felt  a  severe  pain  in  my 
breast  and  back.  I  took  three  doses  of  pills  in 
a  short  time;  but  they  did  no  me  good  whatever. 
The  pains  continued  to  increase  so  much,  that 
I  had  to  get  on  my  hands  and  knees  to  enable 
me  to  get  up. 

In  this  situation  I  remained  in  excruciating 
pain,  from  Monday  night  until  the  Friday  night 
following.  Dr.  K.  B.  Lane  was  then  sent  for. 
He  arrived  next  morning.     He  asked  me, 

"  What  do  you  want ;  are  you  afraid  to  die  ?" 
I  answered, 

"  I  am  not  afraid  to  die.  We  must  all  die 
once.  But,  perhaps,  you  can  relieve  me  of  my 
pains  ?"     He  rejoined, 

"  I  will  try  my  best  to  do  so."     I  said, 

^'Ifyou  think  you  cannot  relieve  me,  don't 
try  experiments  on  my  body.  But  let  me  die 
at  once." 


KEV.    SAMUEL    HUBER.  189 

And  so  he  commenced  administering  medi- 
cines with  care  and  attention.  He  turned  me 
over  on  my  right  side,  in  which  situation  I  lay 
for  two  weeks.  During  this  time,  the  pains 
continued  to  shoot  through  my  back,  like  elec- 
tric shocks,  with  inconceivable  torture  ;  and  the 
flesh  on  my  hip  decayed  and  fell  off  from  the 
bones.  At  one  time,  my  wife  had  turned  me 
over  from  my  side,  upon  my  back.  When  the 
Doctor  came  to  my  bed  side,  he  said, 

^'  I  have  a  blister  for  your  back."     I  said, 

"]N'o,  Sir  !   ]Srone  of  that.     Look  at  my  hip." 

After  looking  at  it,  he  remarked  to  my  wife 
and  a  bystander,  "  His  hip  needs  no  blister. 
There  will  be  no  more  pain  in  it,  inasmuch  as 
the  flesh  has  decayed  and  become  black."  He 
then  wanted  to  put  a  blister  on  my  back.  I 
said, 

"^o  !  That  won't  do.  If  you  take  the  skin 
from  off  my  back  with  a  blister,  how  am  I  to 
lie  ?  for  I  cannot  lie  on  my  side.  If  you  do  put 
it  on,  and  I  have  power  enough  in  me,  I  will 
tear  it  off*,  and  throw  it  on  the  floor."  He  re- 
plied, smiling, 

"  If  you  want  to  suffer  pain  a  while  longer, 
so  be  it,"  and  left  for  that  time. 

In  this  condition  I  lay  during  five  weeks,  not 


190  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OP 

having  any  power  in  my  legs  whatever.  But, 
at  the  same  time,  my  mind  and  voice  were  as 
strong  as  usual.  After  having  suiFered  in  this 
way,  during  the  time  above  stated,  Doctor  Lane 
being  in  attendance,  said,  inquiringly, 

"  What  am  I  to  do  with  you  ?  The  medicine 
which  I  gave  you,  appears  to  have  no  effect 
whatever."     I  answered, 

"You  are  the  Doctor,  and  should  know." 

He  then  prepared  some  medicine,  which  he 
requested  me  to  take,  viz  :  one  powder  at  11 
o'clock  in  the  forenoon,  and  one  dose  of  pills 
the  same  evenins^.  All  this  I  attended  to,  ac- 
cording  to  prescription.  On  the  same  day,  it 
being  Sunday,  about  11  o'clock  at  night,  I  be- 
came so  sick,  in  consequence  of  taking  those 
nostrums,  that  I  thought  I  must  die.  I  felt 
languid,  as  though  I  were  going  to  depart.  Just 
then,  I  heard  my  brother  Benjamin  say,  "Now 
he  is  gone."  These  were  the  last  words  I  then 
heard.  I  became  senseless  in  body,  and  lay  as 
if  dead,  "Whether  in  the  body  or  out  of  the 
body,  I  cannot  tell ;  God  knoweth." 

It  appeared  to  nae,  that  I  was  standing  on  the 
borders  of  this  world,  looking  with  admiration 
on  the  beauties  and  extent  on  the  other  side  of 
it.     It  seemed  as  if  a  person  was  standing  along 


REV.    SAMUEL    HUBER.  191 

side  of  me.  I  was  so  much  enraptured  with  the 
beauteous  sight  beyond,  that  I  requested  him 
to  take  me  across  to  the  other  side.  He  said, 
*'  ISlot  yet.  You  must  return  back  again  to  where 
you  came  from."  After  I  recovered  out  of  this 
state,  I  saw  the  persons  who  were  standing 
around  my  bed.  I  spoke  to  them,  saying,  "  I 
believe  I  am  in  my  cabin  house  yet."  It  appear- 
ed to  me,  that  this  world  and  ray  house  were  so 
diminutive  compared  with  the  magnitude  of  the 
other  world  I  saw,  that  they  were  scarcely  worth 
noticing.  After  remaining  for  some  short  time 
in  this  condition,  a  voice  spake  to  ray  mind, 
"It  is  enough."  I  answered,  "Yes!  this  is 
enough  for  once."  So  I  laid  quiet  until  a  short 
time  before  day  light,  pondering  over  my  con- 
dition ;  no  person  being  in  the  room  at  the  time. 
I  still  felt  the  aforementioned  pains  shooting 
through  my  body,  when  suddenly,  two  shocks 
in  succession,  like  electricity,  went  through  my 
body.  In  an  instant,  all  my  pains  were  gone. 
I  felt  no  more  of  them. 

IsText  morning.  Doctor  Lane  inquired  how  I 
felt.  I  said  very  well,  so  far.  I  feel  no  pain  at 
all.  The  powder  and  pills  I  took  by  your  direc- 
tions almost  killed  me.  I  continued.  Doctor, 
you  may  take  your  preparations  home.     I  will 


192  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

Dot  take  any  more  of  them ;  for  I  received  an 
impression  last  night,  plain  as  if  spoken  in  my 
ears,  that  I  should  take  no  more  medicine.  He 
smiled.  I  told  him,  the  way  to  prove  whether 
my  impression  respecting  the  medicines  be  cor- 
rect or  not,  is  to  let  me  do  without  them  for  a 
few  weeks.  To  this  he  agreed.  And  so  for 
nearly  three  weeks,  I  refrained  from  taking 
medicine,  and  continued  to  grow  better  in  body. 

At  the  Doctor's  next  visit,  he  found  me  near- 
ly sitting  up  in  bed.  He  looked  at  me  with  a 
pleasant  countenance,  and  said,  "  What  a  won- 
derful man  you  are !"  However,  I  still  felt  much 
weakness  in  my  back,  and  could  not  set  up  in 
bed,  without  being  supported  by  pillows.  The 
Doctor  advised  me  to  sit  up  in  bed,  and  grad- 
ually move  my  body  backward  and  forward,  in 
order  to  gain  strength,  until  I  should  become 
sufficiently  strong  to  sit  erect.  This  advice  I 
followed,  and  by  degrees  recovered  my  usual 
strength  and  health  of  body ;  for  all  which  I  am 
thankful  to  God. 

During  my  affliction,  it  took  from  five  to  six 
men  to  turn  me  over,  from  one  side  to  the 
other.  At  the  end  of  the  first  two  weeks,  after 
the  flesh  had  decayed  from  my  hip,  the  pain 
in  it  somewhat  subsided,  although  pains  con- 


REV.    SAMUEL    HUBER.  193 

tinued,  with  great  severity,  in  other  parts  of 
my  body.  After  some  wanderings  of  mind,  oc- 
casioned by  pains,  my  soul  was  resigned  to  the 
will  of  God.  I  felt  no  earthly  cares.  I  gave 
up  my  will  to  God.  I  could  say,  "  The  Lord 
gave"  health,  "and  the  Lord  has  "  afflicted, 
"  blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord."  The  fear 
of  death  was  gone.  I  felt  ready  to  go  at  my 
Master's  call. 

Throughout  the  continuance  of  my  affliction, 
hundreds  of  brethren,  and  other  people,  visited 
me.  Some  came  to  comfort,  and  others  to  dictate. 
Brother  J.  Rhinehart,  at  one  time  told  me,  "I 
was  wanting  in  the  exercise  of  patience — was 
too  restless  under  pain — should  be  more  calm 
— and  lay  quiet."  To  this  I  replied,  "  Can  you 
stay  the  thunder  and  lightning,  when  it  hovers 
over  us  ?  I  can  no  more  avoid  the  strokes  of 
pain  running  through  my  body,  than  you  can 
stop  thunder  and  lightning."  This  settled  the 
point  with  him.     He  decamped. 

At  one  time  a  number  of  my  brethren,  and 
other  persons,  were  in  my  house.  In  their  con- 
versations with  each  other,  they  complained 
much  of  the  hardness  of  the  times,  scarcity  of 
money,  &c.  I  reproved  them  for  their  murmur- 
ings  against  providence,    by  reminding  them 


194  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF 

that,  having  health,  food  and  raiment,  they 
should  therewith  be  content ;  and  aiso,  that 
there  was  a  vast  difference  between  persons 
enjoying  good  health,  and  suffering  afflictions. 
In  most  cases,  however,  they  appeared  more 
like  *^  Job's  comforters,"  than  like  brethren 
come  to  comfort  me  in  my  afflictions.  Their 
conversations  savored  of  the  opinion,  that  all 
my  afflictions  were  sent  as  judgments  for  sins 
committed  ;  and  when  God's  children  are  afflict- 
ed, it  is  in  consequence  of  their  sins. 

Now  I  do  not,  by  any  means,  reject  the  doc- 
trine, that  afflictions  are  frequently  sent  as  just 
judgments  from  God  upon  trans2:ressors  of  his 
law.  But,  I  opine,  that  this  is  not  the  case  in 
every  instance,  in  which  God's  children  are 
chastised.  I  could  frequently  hear  those  breth- 
ren talk  among  themselves,  and  say,  that  they 
thought  "I  must  have  committed  some  secret 
sin  against  God,  for  wdiich  he  sent  this  heavy 
affliction  upon  me."  But  some  of  those  good 
brethren  in  their  "zeal  for  censure,"  had  either 
not  read  in  holy  writ,  or  if  they  had  read,  could 
not  understand^  that  some  of  God's  most  faith- 
ful children  had  undergone  the  severest  afflic- 
tion. And,  as  some  of  my^  dictating  brethren 
professed  at  least  to  be   Scripture  readers,  it 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  195 

might  have  been  thought,  that  they  had  read 
the  case  of  "Job,"  who  was  "  a  perfect  and  up- 
right man,  fearing  God  and  eschewing  evil,"  so 
that  even  the  devilwcould  not  bring  a  just  accu- 
sation against  him.  Notwithstanding  his  "  in- 
tegrity," he  was  still  aiFiicted,  almost  beyond 
human  endurance. 

From  the  course  that  some  of  my  comforters 
took,  it  did  almost  appear,  that  they  had  not 
read  the  case  of  "Job."  Or,  if  they  had  read 
it,  it  sounded  a  little  "  queer,'"  that  they  could 
not  comprehend  how  it  was,  that  a  righteous 
man  may  be  brought  under  the  rod  of  affliction 
without  having  committed  a  particular  sin. 
But,  inasmuch  as  they  continued  to  judge  me, 
according  to  their  own  notions,  or  perhaps  ac- 
cording to  their  own  filings,  I,  therefore,  while 
confined  to  my  bed,  referred  them  to  several 
portions  of  the  apostle  Paul's  writings,  such  as 
the  following  : 

"  And  ye  have  forgotten  the  exhortation, 
which  speaketh  unto  you  as  unto  children :  My 
son,  despise  not  thou  the  chastening  of  the 
Lord,  nor  faint  when  thou  art  rebuked  of  him. 
For  whom  the  Lord  loveth  he  chasteneth,  and 
scourgeth  every  son  whom  he  receiveth.  If  you 
endure  chastening,  God  dealeth  with  you   as 


190  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF 

with  sons  :  for  what  son  is  he  whom  the  father 
chasteneth  not.  But  if  ye  be  without  chastise- 
ment, whereof  all  are  partakers,  then  are  ye 
bastards  and  not  sons.  Furthermore,  we  have 
had  fathers  of  our  flesh  which  corrected  us,  an  d 
we  gave  them  reverence :  shall  we  not  much 
rather  be  in  subjection  to  the  father  of  spirits 
and  live  ?  For  they  verily  for  a  few  days  chas- 
tened us  after  their  own  pleasure  :  but  he  for 
our  profit  that  we  might  be  partakers  of  his 
holiness."  Heb.  12:  5-10. 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing,  I  called  their 
attention  to  the  following : 

"  And  lest  I  should  be  exalted  above  measure 
through  the  abundance  of  the  revelations,  there 
was  given  to  me  a  thorn  in  the  flesh,  the  mes- 
senger of  Satan  to  buffet  me,  lest  I  should  be 
exalted  above  measure.  For  this  thing  I  be- 
sought the  Lord  thrice,  that  it  might  depart 
from  me.  And  he  said  unto  me :  My  grace  is 
sufficient  for  thee :  for  my  strength  is  made 
perfect  in  weakness.  Most  gladly,  therefore, 
will  I  rather  glory  in  my  infirmities,  that  the 
power  of  Christ  may  rest  upon  me."  2  Cor. 
12:  7-9. 

"And  there  was  a  certain  beggar  named 
Lazarus,  which  was  laid  at  his  gate,  full  of 
sores."     Luke  16  :  20. 


REV.  SAMUEL   HUBER.  197 

I  also  propounded  to  them  the  following  ques- 
tions, viz : 

"  Whether  Paul,  after  he  had  been  in  the 

third  heavens,  had  committed  a  particular  sin, 
in  consequence  of  which  *  A  thorn  was  given 
him  in  the  flesh,'  wdth  which  to  be  ^  buffeted 
by  Satan?'  " 

"  Whether  ^  Lazarus '  had  committed  a  par- 
ticular sin,  that  he  was  afflicted  with  '  sores  ?'  " 

To  these,  thej  made  no  answer. 

It  appeared  to  me  to  be  almost  impossible,  to 
convince  so7ne  of  my  brethren,  that  a  righteous 
man  may  be  afflicted,  without  having  commit- 
ted some  particular  sin.  ^ow,  although  I  had 
made  it  my  constant  practice,  after  I  had  set 
out  in  God's  service,  to  fear  Him  and  do  the 
w'orks  of  righteousness,  nevertheless,  I  had  to 
lament  my  short  comings.  Still,  I  felt  no  con- 
de.'nnation,  in  consequence  of  wilful  omissions 
of  duties  towards  God.  And  as  he  had  honor- 
ed me  far  more  than  I  felt  myself  to  deserve,  as 
an  instrument  in  his  hands  to  further  his  cause, 
I  looked  upon  my  affliction  as  sent  from  him, 
"  lest  I  should  be  exalted  above  measure, 
through  the  revelation  given  to  me,"  and  by 
reason  of  the  many  souls  I  had  good  reason  to 
believe  had  been  converted  through  my  minis- 
trations.  I,  therefore,  felt  resigned  to  my  condi- 


198  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

tion,  knowing,  "  that  whom  the  Lord  loveth  he 
chasteneth." 

I  told  several  of  my  comforters,  that  I  feared 
their  religion  consisted  more  in  2^rofession,  than 
in  possession,  and  unless  they  would  undergo 
chastisement,  more  or  less,  they  had  reason  to 
fear,  that  they  were  *'  bastards  and  not  sons." 
In  order  to  sustain  my  position,  I  further  quoted 
Zachariah  13  :  8-9,  "  And  it  shall  come  to  pass, 
that  in  all  the  land,  saith  the  Lord,  two  parts 
therein  shall  be  cut  off  and  die :  but  the  third 
part  shall  be  left  therein.  And  I  will  bring  the 
third  part  through  the  fire,  and  will  refine  them 
as  silver  is  refined,  and  will  try  them  as  gold  is 
tried :  they  shall  call  on  my  name,  and  I  will 
hear  them ;  I  will  say.  It  is  my  people  :  and  they 
shall  say,  The  Lord  is  my  God."  And  Malachi 
3  :  2.  8,  "  But  who  may  abide  the  day  of  his 
coming  ?  and  who  shall  stand  when  he  appear- 
eth  ?  for  he  is  like  a  refiner's  fire,  and  like  ful- 
ler's soap.  And  he  shall  sit  as  a  refiner  and 
purifier  of  silver :  and  he  shall  purify  the  sons 
of  Levi,  and  purge  them  as  gold  and  silver,  that 
they  may  offer  unto  the  Lord  an  offering  in 
rio'hteousness." 

CD 

Taking   into   view   the   Scripture  passages 
quoted  in  the  present  connection,  it  is  plain  to 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  199 

be  seen,  that  God's  servants  must  be  tried 
through  the  furnauce  of  affliction,  in  order  to 
humble  them.  Besides  all  this,  man  does  not, 
at  all  times,  know  himself.  When  he  enjoys 
health  and  prosperity,  he  may  readily  trust  in 
God,  and  conclude,  that  he  is  fully  resigned  to 
his  will.  But  when  circumstances  are  changed 
by  means  of  adversity  and  affliction,  he  may  find 
within  himself  a  disposition  differing  much 
from  that  which  he  supposed  he  had.  He  may 
find  that  he  is  not  altogether  so  submissive  to 
his  situation,  as  he  had  thought  he  would  be. 
There  are  some  dispositions,  which  lay  dormant 
in  the  heart  for  want  of  proper  occasions  to  de- 
velop them.  But  when  bodily  or  other  afflic- 
tions are  sent  upon  us,  we  find  out  what  kind 
of  spirits  we  possess,  whether  they  are  gold  or 
dross,  patient  or  impatient;  and  for  this  reason, 
God  afflicts  his  children,  for  the  trial  of  their 
faith  and  patience ;  and  that  they  may  know 
their  own  hearts.  Throughout  my  afflictions, 
the  grace  of  God  was  my  support.  I  firmly  be- 
lieved, that  it  was  for  my  '^  profit  that  I  might 
be  a  partaker  of  his  holiness,"  as  before  stated, 
that  God  dealt  with  me  in  the  manner  in  which 
he  did. 

During  the    continuance    of  my    affliction. 


200  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

preaching,  and  prayer  meetings  were  almost 
constantly  held  in  my  house.  At  one  time, 
when  all  hope  of  my  recovery  was  given  up, 
brother  Mcholas  Patterson,  a  Presb^^terian  min- 
ister, paid  us  a  visit';  and  there  being  a  great 
many  persons  present  at  the  time,  he  preached 
to  us  from  2  Timothy  4 :  7,  8,  "  I  have  fought  a 
good  fight,  I  have  finished  my  course,  I  have 
kept  the  faith ;  henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for 
me  a  crown  of  righteousness,  which  the  Lord, 
the  righteous  Judge,  shall  give  me  at  that  day : 
and  not  to  me  only,  but  unto  all  them  also  that 
love  his  appearing." 

In  his  remarks  upon  the  subject,  after  alluding 
to  my  ministerial  labors,  he  said,  in  words  sim- 
ilar to  the  following:  "Brother  Huber  will 
soon  be  gone !  You  will  then  no  longer  see 
and  hear  him  admonishing  sinners  to  flee  the 
wrath  to  come.  After  he  is  gone,  his  zealous 
labors  will  no  longer  be  seen  and  felt  among 
you.  People  will  then  look  back  upon  former 
days,  in  which  they  heard  him  preach  the  un- 
searchable riches  of  Christ.  But  as  he  '  fought 
the  good  fight,'  '  finished  hi5  course,'  '  kept  the 
faith,'  he  will  now  reap  the  crown  of  right- 
eousness, laid  up  for  all  God's  faithful  servants,' 
&c." 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  201 

Now,  although  the  brother,  with  the  rest  of 
his  hearers,  had  concluded  almost  to  a  certainty, 
that  my  earthly  race  had  been  run,  yet  the  good 
Lord  thought  otherwise,  and  raised  me  up  again, 
to  resume  my  labors  in  his  vineyard.  In  view 
of  the  above,  and  similar  remarks,  made  by 
brother  Patterson,  it  was  reported  that  he  had 
preached  my  funeral  sermon  before  I  was  dead. 

DEATH  OP  PART  OF  MY  FAMILY. 

I  will  here  give  a  statement  of  some  incidents 
connected  with  the  religious  experiences  of  part 
of  my  family.  My  daughter  Elizabeth  was 
born  on  the  23rd  of  March,  1807.  At  about 
the  age  often  years,  she  became  awakened  to  a 
sense  of  her  lost  condition,  and  commenced  to 
seek  the  Lord  through  the  means  of  grace ;  and 
although  she  led  a  good  moral  life,  she  had  not 
yet  arrived  at  that  state  of  religious  experience 
in  which  she  had  confidence  to  believe,  that  she 
had  felt  a  change  of  heart.  In  this  state  of 
mind  she  grew  up  to  the  age  of  twenty  odd 
years,  when  she  was  married  to  her  cousin,  Ben- 
jamin Huber,  and  lived  with  him  about  ten 
years.  In  the  month  of  August,  1841,  she 
took  sick.  Her  sickness  commenced  with  the 
night  sweat.     The  physician,  who  attended  her, 

said  she   was   consumpted.      After  a    linger- 
14 


202  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

ing  illness  of  about  four  months'  continuance, 
the  doctor  gave  up  her  case  as  incurable,  and 
told  us,  that  "we  should  inform  her  that  he 
could  not  help  her."  This  was  on  Sunday. 
That  evening  I  told  her  what  the  doctor  had 
said.     She  calmly  replied, 

"  If  the  doctor  can't  help  me,  I  must  look 
for  help  elsewhere ,"  and  commenced  to  call 
upon  God  in  fervent  prayer,  believing  every 
day  to  be  her  last.  In  this  way  she  continued 
one  week.  On  the  following  Sunday,  she  asked 
me, 

,     "Do  you  intend  to  go  to  meeting  to-day  ?" 
I  replied, 

"  My  appointment  is  at  brother  Stouffer's.  I 
thought  of  going  there  to  preach."  She  re- 
joined, 

"  Sing  and  pray  before  you  go." 

With  the  family  we  kneeled,  and  prayed  in 
her  behalf.  When  the  rest  of  us  rose  up,  she 
remained  upon  her  knees  in  devotion,  and  con- 
tinued in  this  posture  during  the  fore-part  of 
that  day.  At  length  her  mother  lifted  her  up 
and  placed  her  in  bed.  In  the  evening,  during 
the  time  of  prayer  meeting  in  the  house,  she 
was  blest  in  a  measure;  but  was  not  fully  satis- 
fied with  regard  to  the  evidence  of  her  spiritual 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  203 

adoption.     'Next  morning  she  told  us  that  she 
had  dreamed  the  preceding  night,  and  said, 

*'  I  saw  in  my  dream  a  company  of  angels, 
and  Jesus  Christ  with  them,  attended  with  in- 
expressible, rapturous,  harmonious  sounds  of 
music,  and  while  they  were  moving  onward, 
they  encircled  and  placed  me  in  their  midst,  and 
took  me  some  distance  with  them.  After  this, 
they  left  me  and  went  oflV     I  asked  her, 

"  Do  you  understand  the  dream."  She  re- 
plied, 

"  It  betokened,  that  I  am  not  ready  to  go 
yet" 

I  encouraged  her,  by  presenting  God's  prom- 
ises to  the  earnest  seekers  of  salvation,  and  told 
her,  to  lay  hold  upon  Christ  by  faith,  assuring 
her  that  he  would  reveal  himself  to  her  in  a 
more  powerful  manner,  &c.  On  the  following 
Tuesday  evening,  the  circuit  preacher  preached 
in  my  house.  It  was  his  regular  appointment.  ' 
After  preaching,  we  continued  in  prayer  for 
some  time,  in  the  course  of  which,  I  requested 
the  preacher  to  sing  and  pray  again.  But  it 
appeared  as  though  he  had  no  religion,  or  had 
lost  what  he  had,  if  he  ever  had  any  at  all.  For 
he  leaned  his  head  forward  on  the  table  where 
he  was  sitting,  and  remained  ''mum."     Seeing 


204  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

no  other  way,  I  delivered  an  exhortation.  Two 
persons  got  under  conviction,  and  remained  on 
their  knees  in  prayer.  While  the  meeting  was 
thus  going  forward,  my  daughter  received  a 
more  powerful  blessing  in  her  soul  than  she  had 
received  before,  and  expressed  herself  accord- 
ingly.    I  said  to  her, 

"  Are  you  satisfied  now."     She  replied, 

"Yes  !  glory  to  God,  I  am." 

She  continued  exulting  in  her  Saviour  in  a 
happy  frame  of  mind,  from  Tuesday  night  until 
the  Thursday  night  following.  On  that  evening 
a  great  many  relatives  and  other  persons  were 
sitting  in  the  room.  Elizabeth  was  sitting  in 
the  rocking  chair.  Suddenly  she  exclaimed  to 
the  astonishment  of  all  present, 

"  Glory  to  God  !    I  can  go  now.     I  see  the 

company  of  angels  I  saw^  in  my  dream.     They 

^are  here  now.     Don't  you  see  them  ?     I  see 

them  as  plainly  as  I  see  you,  and  Jesus  in  their 

midst." 

She  clapped  her  hands,  and  laughed  tears  of 
joy  in  the  near  prospect  of  going  to  meet  her 
Saviour,  saying,  "  If  I  had  power,  I  would  jump 
upon  my  feet  and  praise  the  Lord."  In  this 
happy  state  of  soul  she  continued,  her  bodily 
strength  still  decreasing.     On  Sunday  evening, 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  205 

as  she  was  lying  upon  her  bed,  another  death- 
like spell  came  over  her.  She  lay  as  if  dead. 
We  concluded  that  she  was  dead,  when  unex- 
pectedly she  raised  her  right  arm  and  said, 
"Glory — Glory,"  &c.  After  this  she  became 
more  calm  and  partook  of  some  refreshment 
that  night. 

On  Monday  she  felt  somewhat  easier  in  body, 
but  still  expecting  to  die.  On  Tuesday  evening, 
at  the  time  we  were  sitting  around  her  bed,  ex- 
pecting her  last  moments  on  earth,  Mr.  George 
Lightner,  a  near  neighbor,  came  hastily  to  my 
house,  with  a  request  for  me  to  go  to  his  house, 
as  his  mother  was  about  dying.  I  told  him  I 
could  not  go  then,  as  we  were  awaiting  the 
death  of  Elizabeth.  She  overheard  our  conver- 
sation, and  said,  "  Father,  go."  I  mounted  my 
horse,  and,  with  hasty  pace,  went  with  him. 
When  I  arrived  at  his  house,  his  mother  was 
just  about  leaving  this  world.  We  kneeled  in 
prayer,  after  which  she  revived  for  a  short  time, 
and  then  expired,  with  the  hope  of  a  joyful  res- 
urrection. This  was  about  1  o'clock  in  the 
evening.  I  then  returned  home.  My  daughter 
asked  me, 

"  How  is  Mrs.  Lightner  ?"     I  answered, 
"  She  has  gone  to  her  long  home."     She  re- 
plied, 


206  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

"By  to-morrow  morning  there  will  be  anoth- 
er one  gone." 

The  next  morning  about  7  o'clock,  the  22nd 
of  December,  1841,  she  departed  this  life,  prais- 
ing the  Lord,  that  she  was  going  to  join  Jesus 
her  Saviour,  with  the  angels  above.  She  left 
her  son  Samuel,  who  is  now  living,  to  the  care 
of  her  husband,  with  affectionate  requests  to 
bring  him  up  in  the  fear  and  ways  of  the  Lord. 
May  Samuel  remember  his  mother's  prayers  in 
his  behalf ! 

An  opinion  has  obtained  currency  with  some 
people,  that  children,  in  their  juvenile  years, 
cannot  obtain  religion ;  and  this  opinion  is 
grounded  upon  the  presumption,  that  juveniles 
have  not  the  capacity  to  discern  the  difference 
between  the  workings  of  God's  Spirit  upon 
their  hearts,  and  other  influences.  From  such 
premises  it  is  argued,  that  they  should  not  be 
taught  to  look  for  a  change  of  heart,  until  they 
arrive  to  a  state  of  maturity.  For  if  they  were 
to  receive  a  blessing  from  the  Lord  upon  their 
souls,  they  could  not  know  whether  they  were 
made  happy  through  grace,  or  by  other  means. 
It  would,  therefore,  be  useless  to  teach  them  in 
that  way.  In  order  to  show  the  futility  of  such 
opinions,  I  will  here  state  a  case,  which  came 
tinder  my  own  observation. 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER  207 

My  son  Solomon,  between  the  age  of  jB.ve  and 
six  years,  used  to  go  into  the  room,  kneel  down 
and  pray  daily,  with  as  much  decorum  as  grown 
persons,  and  when  he  came  out  from  his  devo- 
tion, his  countenance  indicated  that  he  felt  in 
prayer.  His  features  were  calm  and  serene. 
Not  a  smile  was  to  be  seen  in  his  face.  In  this 
way  he  continued  until  the  fall  of  1816,  when 
he  was  afflicted  with  the  head  Pleurisy.  Doc- 
tor Jeremiah  Senseny  attended  him.  After  be- 
ing confined  to  bed  with  that  disease  nine  days, 
one  morning,  after  family  prayer,  whilst  we 
were  singing  a  hymn,  he  jumped  out  of  bed, 
clapping  his  hands,  shouting  "  Glory,"  in 
ecstacy  of  joy,  saying,  "The  Lord  has  blest  my 
soul  and  made  me  happy."  He  continued 
leaping  and  praising  in  that  strain  from  out  of 
his  bedroom  into  the  adjoining  room,  until  his 
strength  became  exhausted.  His  mother  then 
placed  him  in  bed,  where  he  lay  a  few  days,  and 
expired,  in  !N"ovember,  1816. 

THE  LAST  DAYS  OF  MY  FIRST  WIFE. 

In  the  winter  of  1854,  my  first  wife,  !N'ancy, 
was  taken  ill  with  inflammatory  fever.  Doctor 
Richards  was  her  physician.  After  attending 
to  her  case  for  about  two  weeks,  one  Monday 


208  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

morning  he  said  she  was  convalescent  and  need- 
ed no  more  medicine.  Accordingly,  her  health 
improved,  and  she  was  able  to  attend  to  some 
of  her  domestic  affairs.  The  following  Thurs- 
day morning,  after  leaving  her  bed  as  usual,  and 
remaining  up  for  several  hours,  she  told  us  that 
she  had  had  a  wonderful  dream  the  preceding 
night.  She  said,  ^'  In  my  dream  I  saw  a  large 
building,  in  extent  and  magnitude  beyond  the 
reach  of  my  sight.  There  appeared  to  be  no 
end  to  it  whatever.  It  looked  white  as  snow ; 
clear  and  transparent  as  glass.  A  person  seem- 
ed to  be  employed  about  the  building.  He 
came  to  me  and  said  that  the  house  was  finished. 
At  this  I  awoke  out  of  my  sleep." 

That  day,  as  she  told  us,  the  building  which 
she  saw  in  her  dream  appeared  to  be  constantly 
before  her  eyes,  in  all  its  beauty  and  splendor. 
She  could  not  rid  herself  of  the  sight.  In  the 
evening,  my  son-in-law,  Benjamin  Huber,  his 
wife  and  son  Samuel,  came  to  my  house.  My 
wife  was  then  lying  in  bed,  somewhat  enfeebled, 
but  having  no  pain.  She  conversed  freely  and 
in  a  happy  manner.  She  told  them  her  dream. 
And  while  the  family,  with  other  persons,  were 
sitting  in  an  adjoining  room  in  conversation,  she 
called  Hannah  Stouffer  into  her  room,  and  then 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  209 

got  Up  out  of  bed,  and  said,  "  that  building  is 
still  before  my  eyes."  While  in  the  act  of  ma- 
king a  few  steps,  she  was  instantly  struck  with 
Apoplexy — expired — and  fell  on  her  bed.  Thus 
the  Lord  took  from  me  my  beloved  wife  and 
helpmeet,  on  the  20th  day  of  January,  1854, 
aged  67  years,  11  months  and^23  days,  after  hav- 
ing lived  hajDpily  together  nearly  forty-eight 
years. 


CHAPTEK  XVI. 

TWO   ANGELS — A    UNIVERSALIST — STATISTICS   OF   THE 
UNITED   BRETHREN    CHURCH. 

MOTHER   SBNSENY's   EXPERIENCE. 

At  one  time  I  was  sent  for  by  Mrs.  A.  Sense- 
ny,  then  eighty  years  of  age,  widow  of  Dr. 
A.  Senseny,  deceased,  to  pay  her  a  ministerial 
visit.     When  I  came  to  her,  she  said, 

"  Inasmuch  as  I  am  now  old  and  well  strick- 
en in  years,  I  do  not  expect  to  live  much  longer  in 
this  world.  Therefore  I  have  sent  for  you,  to 
ask  counsel  respecting  my  spiritual  condition." 
I  asked  her, 

"  Well !  Have  you  been  trying  to  serve  the 
Lord  during  your  past  life  ?"     She  replied, 


210  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

"  Yes  !  I  have  been  trying  to  serve  liim  up- 
wards of  forty  years  ;  but  I  have  not  yet  obtain- 
ed evidence  of  my  acceptance  with  him.  I  have 
many  doubts  and  fears.  I  fear  ray  soul  will  be 
lost."     I  rejoined, 

"  It  is  sometimes  difficult  for  one  person  to 
give  correct  advice  to  another,  respecting  the 
state  of  his  soul,  without  knowing  something 
about  his  religious  experience."     She  said, 

"  I  can  relate  to  you  the  exercises  of  my  mind 
and  my  experience"  in  that  way,  if  you  wish  to 
hear  it."     I  said, 

"  Well !  Relate  to  me  your  religious  expe- 
rience. T  may  then  be  able  to  give  you  correct 
counsel."  With  this  request  she  complied,  and, 
among  other  things  related,  she  said, 

"  I  have  read  the  Bible  and  prayed  to  God 
daily  during  forty  years  past ;  but,  after  all,  I 
am  not  satisfied,  because  I  want  the  spiritual 
evidence  which  I  think  Christians  should  have^ 
according  to  the  teachings  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures."    I  then  told  her, 

"Your  spiritual  state  is  just  like  a  person 
standing  or  sitting  outside  of  a  house,  wanting 
to  get  into  it,  when  the  door  is  shut.  Your 
duty  is  to  believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  continue 
in  prayer  to  God.      '  Knock  and  it  shall  be 


REV.  SAMUEL   HUBER.  211 

opened  unto  you,'  to  enter  the  spiritual  house. 
If  God  intended  your  destruction,  he  would 
have  cut  you  off  long  ago." 

By  this  admonition  she  became  much  en- 
couraged, and  continued  by  faith  and  prayer,  to 
lay  hold  upon  the  hope  set  before  her.  I  left 
her  the  next  morning.  Some  time  after  this,  I 
received  another  message,  requesting  me  to 
visit  her  again.  In  company  with  Joseph  Hoff- 
man, I  went  to  see  her.  When  we  came  into 
the  room  where  she  was,  I  inquired  of  her 
health,  &c.  But,  as  she  was  much  affected,  she 
could  not,  in  consequence  of  the  deep  emotions 
of  her  heart,  answer  for  some  time.  At  length, 
addressing  me,  she  said, 

"  A  few  days  after  you  left  me,  at  your  first 
visit,  I  was  lying  in  bed,  reflecting  over  my 
state.  There  was  no  jDerson  in  the  room  at  the 
time.  Suddenly,  the  door  opened  silently,  and 
two  men,  clothed  in  white  raiment,  with  smiling 
countenances  entered  the  room,  walked  up  to 
my  bed  side  and  spoke  peace  to  my  doubting 
heart.  All  my  doubts  and  fears  were  removed. 
One  of  them  held  a  piece  of  paper  in  his  hand, 
and  wrote  my  name  upon  it,  and  said,  '  Your 
name  is  recorded  in  heaven.'  After  this,  they 
vanished  out  of  sight."     She  continued. 


212  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

"  What  was  the  reason,  that  I  could  not  be- 
lieve like  other  Christians ;  but  had  to  give  the 
good  Lord  so  much  trouble  that  he  had  to  send 
two  angels  to  bless  me,  before  I  could  fully  be- 
lieve his  word  ?"     I  replied, 

"  The  Lord  could  not  save  you  in  any  other 
way  than  that  by  which  he  brought  Cornelius 
to  the  light."  I  referred  to  Acts  10  :  3-4,  ^'  He 
saw  in  a  vision  evidently,  about  the  ninth  hour 
of  the  day,  an  angel  of  God  coming  in  to  him, 
and  saying  unto  him,  Cornelias,  and  when  he 
looked  upon  him,  he  was  afraid,  and  said.  What 
is  it,  Lord  ?  And  he  said  unto  him,  thy  pray- 
ers and  thine  alms  are  come  up  for  a  memorial 
before  God." 

Shortly  after  this  she  departed  this  life,  hap- 
py in  the  Lord. 

COMMENCEMENT   OF    "  BIG   MEETINGS." 

Inasmuch  as  some  of  the  old  "  land  marks  " 
of  United  Brethrenism,  in  some  places,  have 
been  removed,  and  other  more  fashionable  ones, 
suited  to  the  times,  erected  in  their  stead,  it  may 
not  be  out  of  place  to  call  the  attention  of  the 
reader,  to  the  way  and  manner  in  which  breth- 
ren in  former  times  used  to  hold  meetings  and 
provide  for  the  accommodation  of  the  people 
who  attended   them.     It  was   no   uncommon 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  213 

thing  then,  for  a  brother  farmer  to  give  out  an 
appointment  for  a  "  big  meeting  "  to  be  held  at 
his  house.  And  it  was  expected,  as  a  matter  of 
course,  that  the  people  attending  it  should  have 
something  to  eat  while  there.  For  this  reason, 
provision  for  the  people  and  provender  for  the 
horses,  were  prepared  in  sufficient  quantities  to 
meet  the  wants  of  the  expected  assemblage.  It 
was  not  considered  a  strange  thing  among  Uni- 
ted Brethren,  for  the  brother  at  whose  house  the 
meeting  was  to  be  held,  to  slaughter  a  few  hogs, 
sheep,  or  calves,  and,  on  extra  occasions,  a 
beef;  and  to  have  a  quantity  of  bread — cakes — 
and  pies  baked,  with  bushels  of  potatoes  and 
other  vegetables  ready  for  use. 

In  addition  to  these  preparations,  one  indis- 
pjensable  item  in  the  farmer's  utensels  needed 
for  such  an  occasion,  was  a  large  table,  from  ten 
to  twenty  feet  in  length,  and  from  four  to  five 
feet  in  breadth.  The  top  of  it  was  made  of 
good  old  tough  oak  or  pine  boards,  from  one  to 
two  inches  in  thickness.  These  were  placed 
upon  a  frame,  supported  by  feet  made  of  oak 
or  pine  scantling,  from  three  to  four  inches 
square.  This  table  was  then  decorated  with 
pewter  and  earthen  dishes,  with  cups  and  sau- 
cers of  the  latter  material,  pewter  spoons,  iron 
knives  and  forks,  together  with  large  pewter 


214  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

and  earthen  dishes  and  bowls,  which  were  placed 
on  the  centre,  as  receptacles  for  eatables,  and  out 
of  which  the  consumers  were  supplied. 

These  "big  meetings"  were  attended  by 
crowds  of  people.  Some  came  from  a  great 
distance.  The  hosts  at  whose  houses  the  meet- 
ings were  held,  were  not  scared,  when  they 
saw  carriages,  wagons  and  vehicles  of  all  sizes, 
then  in  use,  drawn  by  four  legged  animals  and 
loaded  with  saints  and  sinners  coming  to  the 
meetings.  Some  came  to  see  and  to  be  seen ; 
others,  to  hear  preaching.  In  many  instances, 
from  one  to  two  hundred  persons  were  enter- 
tained and  fed  during  the  meeting,  together 
with  their  horses.  At  the  meeting  at  Daniel 
"Whisler's,  before  referred  to,  upwards  of  four 
hundred  persons  took  dinner  at  his  house  on 
the  Sabbath. 

The  anxiety  to  hear  the  gospel  then  felt  in 
many  hearts,  may  be  illustrated  by  an  incident 
the  editor  of  this  work  heard  related  by  brother 
H.  Kumler,  Jr.  He  said,  "  At- one  time  as  he 
was  riding  along  the  road,  he  met  a  woman 
coming  towards  him  with  great  haste.  He  en- 
quired of  her,  '  Where  are  you  going  to  in  such 
haste  V  She  replied,  '  I  am  going  to  meeting. 
I  want  to  hear  preaching.' "  And  as  she  was 
neither  walking,  nor  riding,  how  think  you, 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  215 

reader,  she  was  going  ?    Why,  "  she  was  run- 
ning to  hear  the  gospel  preached." 

But,  while  the  brethren  were  thus  holding 
meetings  and  entertaining  people  iree  of  charge 
at  their  houses,  it  was  often  remarked  by  other 
persons,  with  respect  to  a  certain  individual, 
that  he  would  be  "  eaten  out  of  house  and  home 
in  a  short  time,  go  to  rack,  &c."  Now,  I  do 
not  wish  to  be  understood  to  say,  that  a  person, 
who  is  distinguished  for  his  hospitality,  may 
not,  in  some  instances,  become  bankrupt, 
through  miscalculated  speculations,  or  unfor- 
seen  circumstances.  But,  so  far  as  my  person- 
al knowledge  extends,  and  it  is  not  very  limit- 
ed, I  have  never  known  a  person  who  became 
poor  in  worldly  affairs,  by  giving  of  his  sub- 
stance to  the  cause  of  God. 

There  once  resided  in  Lancaster  county.  Pa.,  \ 
a  brother,  whose  house  was  a  general  rendez- 
vous for  preachers  and  other  persons.  Father 
Newcomer  said  to  him  one  time,  "  that  he 
thought  the  preachers  were  becoming  too  hard 
on  him,  by  putting  up  at  his  house  so  often. 
To  this,  the  brother  replied,  "  If  you  want  me 
to  get  rich  in  the  world,  just  send  me  as  many 
people  as  you  can.  I  will  entertain  them  free 
ot  charge  and  be  glad  to  do  it."  He  carried 
out  the  measure  of  hospitality  to  its  full  extent,  ^ 


216  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

by  entertaining  free  of  charge  all  who  came  to 
him,  and  they  were  not  a  few.  He  increased 
in  worldly  riches,  to  a  great  extent,  and  fully 
realized  the  declaration  of  Scripture,  ''  He  that 
giveth  to  the  poor,  lendeth  unto  the  Lord,  and 
that  which  he  hath  given  him,  shall  be  returned 
to  him  again." 

It  was  by  such  means  as  those  referred  to, 
that  the  United  Brethren  shed  a  salutary  influ- 
ence around  them,  and  prevailed  on  the  people 
to  come  to  their  meetings.  They  counted  it 
good  pay  for  their  trouble  and  expense,  when 
sinners  were  converted,  and  believers  establish- 
ed in  the  faith.  The  same  spirit  of  hospitality 
exists  among  many  of  them  at  this  day.  Whilst, 
however,  I  make  these  remarks  respecting  the 
hospitality  of  the  United  Brethren,  I  also  say, 
that  there  are  members  of  other  religious  de- 
nominations also,  who  manifest  the  same  spirit 
of  liberality,  and  even  excel  in  it.  My  object  in 
noting  such  things  is  to  show  how  United 
Brethrenism  began,  and  is  still  prosecuted  to  a 
great  extent. 

]N"ow,  although  the  first  United  Brethren 
preachers,  with  few  exceptions,  preached  with- 
out pay,  it  must  be  understood,  that,  in  most 
cases,  they  were  farmers,  and  could  afibrd  to  do 
so.     I  received  during  my  ministry  of  over  for- 


REV.   SAMUEL   HUBER.  217 

ty  years  continuance,  less  than  twenty  dollars, 
for  travelling  expenses  and  preaching.  All  this 
does  not,  however,  prove,  that  men,  who  pur- 
sue no  other  calling  than  that  of  the  ministry, 
should  lahor  in  it  without  a  competent  remuner- 
ation. I  hold,  that  a  preacher  of  the  gospel 
should  be  supported  by  the  gospel,  provided, 
however,  that  he  be  faithful  to  his  calling.  I 
will  state,  in  this  connection,  that  I  frequently 
left  home  in  the  morning,  rode  to  Amberson's 
or  Path  vallies,  across  two  mountains,  preached 
there  at  an  appointment,  and  returned  the  same 
night,  making  a  distance  going  and  returning 
of  thirty-four  miles. 

,  There  resided  some  years  ago,  near  the  Cale- 
donia Iron  works,  Franklin  county,  Pa.,  two 
men  with  their  families,  none  of  whom  had  re- 
ligion at  the  commencement  of  the  following 
occurrence.  The  names  of  the  two  men  were, 
J.  F.  and  R.  0.  They  were  brother-iu-laws. 
K.  0.  was  a  violent  opponent  of  the  Methodists. 
He  would  not  permit  any  members  of  his  fam- 
ily to  go  to  their  meetings.  The  Methodist 
meeting  house  was  not  far  frona  R.  O's.  dwell- 
ing. They  wanted  a  sexton  for  it.  In  order 
to  get  the  situation,  R.  O.  pretended  to  be  one 
of  their  greatest  friends,  and  became  sexton. 
15 


218  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

All  this  he  related  afterwards.  On  one  occasion, 
during  preaching  in  the  meeting  house,  as  it 
was  his  duty  as  sexton,  to  be  there,  the  word 
preached  made  some  impression  on  his  heart. 
After  meeting,  on  returning  home,  he  told  his 
wife  and  J.  F.,  who,  with  his  family,  were  at  his 
house  at  the  time,  ''  that  the  Methodist  preach- 
er was  a  wonderful  man,"  and  requested  them 
"  to  come  and  hear  him  preach  in  the  evening." 
Accordingly,  the  two  men  with  their  wives 
went  to  hear  the  preacher.  But  their  prejudi- 
ces against  the  Methodists  would  not  permit 
them  to  take  their  children  with  them. 

After  the  parents  were  gone,  the  children 
being  left  in  the  house,  several  of  them  young 
girls,  the  oldest  said  to  the  rest,  "  Our  parents 
have  gone  to  the  meeting,  and  would  not  let  us 
go  with  them.  We  may  as  well  sing  and  pray 
at  home."  So  they  began  to  sing — pray — and 
call  upon  Him,  who  said,  "  Suffer  little  children 
to  come  unto  me,  and  forbid  them  not,  for  of 
such  is  the  kingdom  of  God." 

They  continued  in  their  worship  for  some  time, 
during  which  four  of  them  got  religion  and 
were  made  happy,  shouting  and  praising  the 
Lord.  When  the  parents  returned  from  the 
meeting,  and  saw  their  children  in  this  situa- 


REV.  SAMUEL   HUBER.  219 

tion,  they  looked  upon  them  with  surprise  and 
astonishment ;  and  as  R.  0.  had  always  opposed 
such  things  as  shouting,  he,  with  the  rest  of  his 
relatives,  said,  "  This  convinced  them,  that  it 
was  not  the  w;ork  of  man,  as  they  had  thought 
it  was,  but  the  work  of  God."  The  parents 
then  began  to  pray  for  themselves,  and  in  the 
course  of  some  time  afterwards,  experienced  the 
new  birth  and  followed  the  Lord. 

Some  time  after  the  affair  with  E.  0.  and  J. 
F.  and  their  families  had  taken  place,  D.  F., 
brother  to  J.  F.,  at  this  time  residing  with  his 
family  near  my  house,  and  not  knowing  any 
thing  about  the  conversion  of  his  brother  and 
relatives,  near  Caledonia,  had  occasion  to  cross 
the  South  mountain.  On  his  way,  he  called 
upon  his  brother-in-law,  R.  0.,  who  told  him  the 
circumstance  of  the  children's  and  parents'  con- 
version, &c.  They  then  held  a  family  prayer 
meeting.  D.  F.  afterwards  said,  "  that  the 
children's  prayers  were  fervent  and  affecting 
enough  to  soften  a  stone."  During  the  meet- 
ing, he  got  under  conviction  for  his  sins,  ^ext 
morning,  in  great  distress  of  soul,  he  resumed 
his  journey.  At  one  place,  before  he  got  over 
the  mountain,  it  appeared  to  his  vision,  that  the 


220  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

earth  had  opened  just  before  him,  and  that  he 
could  see  hell  beneath.  Fearing  to  go  another 
step  forward,  lest  he  should  sink  intoUhe  abyss, 
he  stopped  his  horse,  alisfhted  and  fastened  him 
to  a  tree,  then  fell  upon  his  knees,»and  wrestled 
with  God  in  prayer  until  he  was  blest.  He  then 
went  on  his  way  rejoicing.  On  his  return  to 
R,  0.  and  relatives,  he  related  what  the  Lord 
had  done  for  his  soul  on  the  w^ay.  Upon  this 
they  had  a  happy  time  of  it.  When  he  came 
home,  he  came  to  me  in  great  haste,  giving  me 
an  account  of  his  conversion,  &c.,  &c.  Before 
he  obtained  religion,  he  used  to  say,  "  that  peo- 
ple could  enjoy  religion  without  making  church 
bells  of  themselves,  by  sounding  it  abroad." 
I  reminded  him  of  that,  and  said,  "  How  comes 
it,  that  you  are  making  a  bell  of  yourself  now?" 
He  replied,  *'  Circumstances  alter  cases.  A 
person  may  talk  about  keeping  religion  to  him- 
self, when  he  has  none  ;  but  when  he  gets  convert- 
edy  he  feels  it  to  be  rather  a  hard  matter  to  keep 
it  a<secre/." 

STATISTICS. 

The  following  statistics  of  the  Church  of  the 
United  Brethren  in  Christ,  are  taken  from  the 
most  correct  data  which  I  could  obtain : 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER. 


221 


Michigan, 

Muskingum, 

Illinois, 

Missouri, 

Minnesota, 

Erie, 

White  Eiver, 


Miama. 
Canada. 
St.  Josephs. 
Indiana. 
Iowa. 
Oregon. 
Maumee. 
*Rock  River. 


Annual  Conferences. 

i 

Pennsylvania,   East  Pennsylvania,  Allegheny. 
Virginia, 

Auglaize, 

Tennessee, 

Wabash, 

Des  Moines, 

Kansas, 

Sciota, 

Sandusky, 

*A  German  Conference. 

The  number  of  preachers  and  members  be- 
longing to  these  Conferences,  as  given  to  me 
by  Bishop  Davis,  are  about  one  thousand 
preachers,  one  half  of  whom  are  itinerants,  and 
about  seventy  thousand  church  members,  not 
including  baptized  infants. 

The  Church  has  a  Home,  Frontier,  and  For- 
eign Missionary  Society,  which  employs  in  the 
Home  field  132  missionaries,  and  in  the  Fron- 
tier and  Foreign  field  70.  It  has  expended  du- 
ring the  past  four  years,  for 

Africa  Mission,  .         .         .  $5,500  00 

Oregon         "  ...  3,420  00 

Kansas,        "  ...  2,550  00 

Missouri,      "  ...  1,750  00 


Caried  over. 


$13,220  00 


222  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

Brono-ht  over,  $13,220  00 

German  Miss.  Conference,  .  2,950  00 

Micbio-an  "  " 


Minnesota 

Canada, 

I^ebraska, 


1,200  00 

400  00 

2,310  00 

1,500  00 


Total  for  Frontier  and  Foreign,     $21,580  00 
Expended  for  home  work,  as  follows  : 

For  the  year,  ending  June,  1854,      $11,128  10 
"  ''  ^"  1855,         13,293  92 

"  "  "  1856,         18,610  19 

"  "  "  1857,        17,070  20 

Total  expenditures  for  the  home 

work  in  four  years,  60,102  41 

Total  for  Home,  Frontier  and  For- 
eign, 81,682  41 

The  Church  has  a  Printing  Establishment  in 
Dayton,  Ohio,  where  is  |)ublished  the  ''  Reli- 
gious Telescope,"  together  with  a  large  amount 
of  periodicals,  books,  &c.  The  Pennsylvania 
Annual  Conference,  as  taken  from  the  secreta- 
ry's, W.  B.  Raber's,  records,  embracing  York, 
Adams,  Cumberland  and  Franklin  counties, 
with  a  portion  of  Fulton,  contains  sixty- 
eight  regular  preaching  appointments,  forty-five 
churches,  forty-five  preachers,  and  two  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  seventy-four  members.  This 
Conference  raised  the  past  year  $1,300  00  mis- 


REV.    SAMUEL    HUBER.  223 

eionary  funds.  The  Uuitecl  Brethren  have,  in- 
cluding Salem  church,  with  a  membership  of 
over  fifty  persons,  near  the  Eocky  Spring,  in 
Franklin  county,  Pa.,  fifteen  churches,  and  in 
York  county.  Pa.,  fourteen  churches.  From 
other  counties,  I  have  no  correct  account. 

THUNDER   AND   LIGHTNING. 

Bishop  ISTewcomer,  v^ith  other  persons,  rela-  "^Z 
ted  an  occurrence  to  me  which  took  place  in 
their  presence  at  a  camp  meeting  held  in  York 
county.  Pa.  At  one  time,  during  its  continu- 
ance, the  wicked  threatened  to  storm  the  camp 
in  the  night.  Towards  evening,  they  began  to 
collect  in  great  crowds,  armed  with  bludgeons 
and  other  offensive  weapons,  making  great 
threats  and  menaces  against  the  tent  holders. 
Amongst  the  professors  of  religion  on  the 
ground,  might  have  been  seen  some,  who  made 
great  pretensions  to  faith  and  trust  in  provi- 
dence when  no  danger  was  near ;  but,  when 
surrounded  by  an  approaching  hurricane,  like 
Peter  on  the  sea,  they  began  to  sink.  Faiyiting 
hearts  and  j^a/e  faces  were  seen,  occasioned 
through  the  fear  of  being  overrun  by  the  enemy. 
But,  as  records  inform  ul  of  instances  in  which 
a  few  righteous,  strong  in  faith,  persons  had  saved 
a  city ;    so,  in  this  case,  there  were  also  some 


224  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

praying  people,  whose  trust  and  faith  in  a  su- 
perintending providence  became  strengthened 
in  the  time  of  danger.  These,  seeing  the  camp 
surrounded  and  threatened  in  this  hostile  man- 
ner, betook  themselves  to  prayer,  looking  to 
the  Lord  for  help. 

Accordingly,  towards  evening,  just  about  the 
time  the  "Amalekites"  were  preparing  them- 
selves for  the  assault,  dark  clouds  were  seen 
slowly  rising  above  the  horizon — thunders  were 
heard  rolling  in  the  distance — piles  of  clouds, 
swiftly  propelled  forward  by  an  irresistible  force, 
came  rolling  over  each  other  and  obscured  the 
heavens  from  view — palpable  darkness  covered 
the  camp — and  then,  as  if  a  match  had  been 
applied  to  a  fiery  element,  peals  of  thunder  shot 
forth  from  the  clouds  above — immense  flashes 
of  lightning  glared  throughout  the  camp — me- 
teors, like  large  fire  balls  falling  from  the  zenith 
to  the  earth  and  carried  forward  by  a  mighty 
whirlwind,  rolled  and  flew  to  and  fro  over  the 
ground  and  over  the  people,  and  through  some 
of  the  tents,  and  went  far  off  into  the  woods. 
It  appeared  as  if  the  battlements  of  heaven  had 
opened,  sending  its ^.  elements  down  in  succes- 
sive streams  of  fire.  This  scene  lasted  over  one 
hour,  during  which  time  the  wicked  became  so 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  225 

much  terrified,  that,  hy  rapid  movements,  they 
cleared  themselves  from  the  ground.  After 
this  phenomenon  had  subsided,  and  no  one  was 
hurt  by  it,  the  meeting  went  on  without  fur- 
ther disturbance. 

After  Newcomer  left  the  ground,  on  his  way 
to  York,  he  was  accosted  by  some  persons,  who 
said  to  him,  "  You  can  now  see  that  your  camp 
meetings  are  wrong.  God  sent  his  fire  amongst 
your  people  to  destroy  the  camp."  To  this  he  re- 
plied, "  God  was  our  guard,  and  sent  His  thun- 
der and  lightning  to  prevent  the  wicked  from 
doing  us  injury."   And  Such  was  really  the  case. 


CHAPTER  XVn. 

REV.    DANIEL   FUNKHOUSER'S   EXPERIENCE. 

By  request,  I  give  part  of  my  religious  expe- 
rience and  call  to  the  ministry.  I  was  born  in 
Shenandoah  county,  Virginia,  February  18th, 
1809.  From  my  earliest  recollections,  my 
mind  was  deeply  impressed  with  thoughts  of 
getting  to  heaven  after  my  death.  The  irregu- 
lar conduct  of  some  professors  of  religion  was  a 
great  stumbling  block  to  me.  They  would 
partake  of  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper 
together,  before  and  after  which,  they  would 
curse,  swear  and  fight. 


22G  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    QF 

When  the  United  Brethren  preachers  began 
to  preach  to  us,  a  great  excitement  took  place 
throughout  the  country  in  consequence  of  these 
false  prophets,  as  they  were  called.  The  first 
preachers  who  came  to  us,  were  C.  Newcomer, 
G.  A.  Guething  and  W.  Otterbein.  When  I  first 
heard  one  of  them  preach,  his  words  came  home 
to  my  heart,  producing  strange  feelings.  Sure 
enough,  thought  I,  he  may  be  one  of  the  false 
spirits,  and  may  bewitch  me.  0,  if  I  was  only 
out  of  the  house,  I  exclaimed  to  myself.  How- 
ever, I  remained  until  the  preacher  was  done. 
His  words  produced  a  great  perplexity  in  my 
mind,  respecting  the  difierent  societies.  I  be- 
gan to  pray  to  God  to  show  me  the  right  way  in 
which  to  serve  him. 

The  Hoi}/  Spirit  operated  on  my  heart,  when 
I  was  but  a  small  boy  ;  but  I  did  not  then  know 
what  it  was.  When  I  was  between  the  age  of 
thirteen  and  fourteen  37ears,  the  United  Breth- 
ren held  a  camp  meeting  in  our  parts.  I  went 
to  it,  in  order  to  see,  &c. ;  but,  at  the  same  time, 
had  my  fears  least  I  should  be  caught.  I  still 
continued  to  pray  to  God,  to  show  me  whether 
these  were  his  people,  or  not.  On  Monday 
morning  I  went  into  a  tent  during  the  time  a 
prayer  meeting  was  held  in  it.     I  crept  behind 


REV.    SAMUEL    HUBER.  227 

a  tree,  wliich  stood  iu  the  corner  of  the  tent, 
still  praying  to  be  led  in  the  right  way,  when 
suddenly  a  ray  of  divine  light,  quick  as  light- 
ning, shone  into  my  heart.  I  saw  at  once  that 
all  was  not  right  with  me,  and  felt  my  sins 
sticking  to  my  heart,  like  burs  to  a  woolen 
garment.  By  this  I  knew  that  I  was  unfit  for 
heaven.     A  heavy  burden  lay  on  my  heart. 

I  left  the  camp  and  went  home  without  find- 
ing peace.  Whilst  laboring  under  this  convic- 
tion, every  thing  I  saw  appeared  to  be  in  a 
mournful  condition.  In  this  state  of  mind  I 
remained  until  the  following  Friday  evening. 
Some  time  before  night,  I  went  into  the  w^oods 
to  pray.  I  kneeled  under  a  white  oak  tree. 
As  I  began  to  pray,  it  appeared  to  me  as  if 
something  was  running  around  me  at  a  short 
distance,  making  a  curious  noise.  I  fiancied  I 
could  hear  the  cracking  of  brush.  After  some 
time  spent  in  prayer,  I  went  into  a  private  room 
up  stairs  in  the  house,  so  that  no  person  should 
hear  me.  The  family  being  out  at  the  time,  I 
kneeled  beside  a  bed  in  prayer,  when,  instantly, 
it  appeared  as  if  hell  were  open  right  under  me, 
and  that  I  w^as  hanging  over  it,  holding  with 
both  hands  to  a  small  rope  stretched  across. 

My  mother,  being  at  the  barn,  heard  me  pray. 


228  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

She  came  to  me  and  asked  what  was  the  mat- 
ter. I  said,  "  0,  mother  !  pray  for  a  poor  boy, 
who  is  hanging  at  a  rope  over  a  fiery  lake." 
She  kneeled  by  my  side  and  prayed  in  my  be- 
half. Whilst  in  this  agony,  I  heard  a  still  soft 
voice  saying,  "Let  go  the  rope."  I  thought  if 
I  would  let  go  my  hold,  I  would  drop  into  the 
fire.  I  prayed  on.  The  voice  said  again,  "Let 
go  thy  hold."  Then  one  hand  let  go.  The 
third  time  it  said,  "  Only  let  go  thy  hold."  At 
this  I  thought,  Well,  I  have  deserved  nothing 
else.  It  is  just  and  right.  If  I  must  be  lost,  I 
am  willing  to  drop  into  this  fiery  lake.  I  then 
said,  "  In  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  of  I^Taza- 
reth,  here  I  go ;"  and  let  go  my  hold.  I  fell  on 
mercy's  side,  and  saw  no  more  of  the  lake  of 
fire.  My  burden  of  guilt  was  removed.  I  felt 
love,  joy  and  peace  in  my  heart.  Every  thing 
I  saw,  appeared  in  shining  colors.  I  felt  like  a 
new  boy  in  a  new  world,  so  that  I  could  say 
with  the  Apostle,  "  Old  things  have  passed  away 
and  all  things  have  become  new."  I  was  in  a 
constant  stream  of  joy  and  peace,  "i!^ot  a  cloud 
to  hide  my  sun,  nor  wave  of  trouble  to  roll  across 
my  pelfceful  breast." 

Thus  I  went  on,  smooth  and  calm  in  the 
stream  of  glory  for  four  weeks.     I  now  conclu- 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  229 

ded  that  this  would  be  my  condition  through- 
out my  life,  and  that  the  tempter  would  not 
molest  me  any  more.  But  here  I  soon  found 
out  my  mistake,  and  had  to  go  through  the 
school  of  temptation.  I  still  continued  to  pray 
in  secret.  At  about  the  expiration  of  the  four 
weeks  of  my  happy  days,  I  was  in  the  barn 
praying  as  usual.  After  I  had  finished,  I  went 
to  the  house.  "When  I  got  on  the  steps,  the 
tempter  said  to  m}^  mind,  "  You  have  no  reli- 
gion. You  are  deceived."  This  set  me  to 
doubting.  Upon  this,  I  returned  to  the  barn 
and  prayed  to  God.  Whilst  thus  engaged,  it 
was  impressed  upon  my  mind  :  "  You  are  pray- 
ing for  that  which  you  have  already  got.  Only 
be  faithful.  My  grace  will  be  sufiacient  for 
thee." 

I  then  concluded  it  to  be  so,  and  went  to  the 
house  again.  Just  as  I  sat  down  on  a  chair, 
the  tempter  said,  "  You  are  deceived.  You 
have  no  religion,"  &c.  I  instantly,  arose  and 
went  into  the  barn  again,  up  on  the  haymow, 
resolved  to  pray  all  night.  When  I  began  to 
pray,  it  was  suggested,  "  What  are  you  doing 
here?  You  need  not  pray.  You  are  worse  now 
than  you  ever  were  before.  You  can't  shed 
tears.     You  can't  feel  condemnation.    Look 


230  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

back  and  see  how  you  could  feel  and  weep  be- 
fore." Knowing  part  of  this  to  be  true,  namely, 
that  I  felt  no  guilt,  I  began  to  doubt  the  truth 
of  my  experience.  The  suggestion  was  contin- 
ued, "Your  heart  is  much  harder  than  it  for- 
merly was,  after  all  your  praying.  You.  had 
better  give  it  up  ;  for  you  will  be  lost,  any 
how." 

I  said  audibly,  "  Devil!  if  this  be  you,  get  be- 
hind me.  I  want  to  love  and  serve  my  God 
while  I  live."  I  continued  in  23rayer,  "  l^ow 
Lord,  here  I  am,  a  poor  ignorant  boy.  Thou 
knowest  that  my  heart's  desire  is  to  serve  thee. 

0  do  thou  lead  me  in  the  right  way."  And 
thanks  to  his  holy  name,  he  gave  me  a  power- 
ful blessing.  The  tempter  gave  over  for  that 
time. 

I  now  went  on  my  way  rejoicing  in  the  ser- 
vice of  the  Lord.  Young  as  I  was,  my  faith 
and  patience  were  frequently  put  to  the  test.  I 
met  with  severe  trials  from  some  of  my  school- 
mates. At  times,  when  they  would  be  playing 
and  gamboling  about  like  school  boys  do,  I 
would  slip  off  into  the  woods  to  pray.  At  one 
time,  whilst  so  engaged  in  the  woods,  some  of 
the  boys,  in  chase  of  a  rabbit,  passed  by  where 

1  was,  and  saw  and  heard  me  pray.     After  I 


REV.    SAMUEL  HUBER.  231 

rose  from  my  knees,  they  stood  some  distance 
off,  calling  out  to  me,  "Have  you  chased  a  rab- 
bit  in  there,  that  you  are  barking  at  it?"  Every 
scholar  in  the  school  was  teasing  me  about 
barking  at  the  rabbit.  When  they  saw  that 
they  could  not  make  me  angry  and  get  me  to 
quarrel  with  them,  in  this  way,  they  tried  my 
patience  in  another  manner.  At  one  time,  they 
threw  me  down — took  hold  of  my  feet — drag- 
ged me  some  distance  over  the  ground  and 
rolled  me  into  a  large  mud  hole.  After  I  got 
out  of  it,  I  said,  "You  have  made  me  muddy 
outside.  This  will  rub  off."  Placing  my  hand 
upon  my  breast,  I  continued,  "  You  can't  soil 
me  in  here." 

"When  I  retired  to  the  barn  to  pray,  they 
would  watch  me  and  throw  a  handful  of  chaff 
into  my  face  while  I  was  on  my  knees.  Such, 
and  other  different  trials,  I  had  to  undergo  in  my 
youthful  days.  Their  object  was  to  make  me 
angry.  Had  they  succeeded,  they  would  have 
said,  "  He  has  no  more  religion  than  we  have." 
But  the  grace  of  God  enabled  me  to  bear  all 
patiently.  When  enduring  these  trials,  I  was 
about  seventeen  years  of  age.  I  have  adverted 
to  these  days  of  my  boyhood,  merely  to  show  to 
the  youth  who  may  wish  to  serve  God,  that 


232  AUTOBIOaRAPHY   OF 

if  they    prove  faithful,    "  no  weapons  formed 
against  them  can  prosper." 

In  the  year  1827,  on  a  certain  occasion, 
whilst  I  was  plowing  in  a  field,  being  very 
happy,  as  I  was  going  up  a  small  hill  towards 
the  fence  at  some  distance  from  it,  I  heard  a 
voice  call  me  by  name,  Daniel.  I  stopped  the 
horses,  thinking  some  one  was  wanting  to  en- 
quire the  road.  But,  neither  seeing,  nor  hear- 
ing any  person,  I  started  the  horses.  Again,  in 
a  little  time,  the  same  voice,  Daniel,  was  repeat- 
ed. I  then  thought  some  person  wanted  to  fool 
me.  I  stopped  the  horses  again,  and  leaning 
my  back  towards  the  plough  and  hearing  noth- 
ing, I  turned  around  and  started  the  horses. 
Just  as  I  laid  my  hands  on  the  plough  handles, 
I  heard  the  same  voice,  the  third  time.  This 
time,  it  appeared  just  above  me.  I  answered 
aloud,  "  What  do  you  want  ?"  It  answered, 
"  You  must  go  and  preach  Jesus  to  the  people." 
I  reflected  ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  and  then  said 
aloud,  "  This  I  cannot  do,"  and  went  on  with 
the  ploughing.  This  circumstance  made  a  deep 
impression  on  my  mind,  respecting  my  call  to 
the  ministry.  Sometimes  I  felt  as  if  I  should 
try  to  exhort  the  people  to  turn  to  God.  But 
feeling  my  insufficiency  for  such  a  work,  I  hesi- 


^  REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  233 

tated  to  take  up  the  cross.  I  made  it  a  matter 
of  prayer  that  the  Lord  would  remove  these 
impressions  from  me.  But  they  continued  to 
deepen.  The  circuit  preachers  would  often  ask 
me  to  close  the  meeting  with  prayer,  after 
preaching,  which  I  did,  and  frequently  I  felt 
like  giving  an  exhortation.  Still  I  did  not  do  so. 
I  often  felt  condemned  for  not  exhorting.-  At 
one  time,  during  preaching  in  a  school  house, 
my  mind  was  powerfully  wrought  upon,  urging 
me  to  speak  to  the  people.  Fearing  I  should 
be  compelled,  through  my  feelings  to  speak  out, 
I  left  the  house  before  the  preacher  had  iinished 
his  sermon.  For  this,  I  underwent  a  night  of 
misery,  being  lashed  by  my  conscience.  The 
next  day  I  promised  the  Lord,  tb^t  I  would  try 
to  do  better  hereafter. 

Sometime  after  this,  another  meeting  was 
held  in  the  same  school  hou^e.  A  great  many 
people  assembled.  When  I  came  to  it,  I  asked, 
"Is  the  preacher  come?"  It  was  answered, 
"IN'o,  he  is  sick."  "It  was  suggested  to  my 
mind,  "  IS^ow,  go  into  the  house  and  exhort  the 
people."  Feeling  my  weakness,  I  did  not  go 
in,  but  left  the  place  with  as  miserable  feelings 
as  a  man  can  well  have,  which  continued  three 
days  and  nights.  At  another  time,  a  big  meet- 
16 


234  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

ing  was  to  be  held  at  the  same  school  house. 
Father  Boreing,  then  Presiding  Elder,  on  his 
way  to  it,  stopped  at  my  father's  house,  in  Vir- 
ginia. Boreing  requested  me  to  go  with  him 
to  the  meeting.     On  our  way,  he  askged  me, 

"Do  you  never  feel  as  though  you  should  ex- 
hort your  fellow  men?"     I  rejoined, 

"  Why  do  you  ask  me  such  a  question  ?" 
He  replied, 

"Father  Guething  told  me,  that  he  believed 
there  was  something  of  the  kind  working  in 
your  mind."     I  said, 

"  Yes  '.  I  often  feel  as  if  I  should  do  so." 

After  this,  one  day  in  my  troubled  spirit,  I 
said  in  prayer,  "  0  Lord !  I  am  incapable,  in 
consequence  of  my  ignorance  in  spiritual  things, 
to  call  sinners  to  repentance."  So  he  showed 
me  in  a  vision,  a  broad  road  leading  downwards, 
and  becoming  steeper  in  its  descent.  At  the 
end  of  it  was  a  precipice,  which  opened  over  a 
lake  of  fire.  I  saw  crowds  of  human  beings 
going  down  this  road.  When  they  came  to  the 
end  of  it,  they  plunged  into  the  lake  of  fire.  In 
the  lake  they  were  reeling  and  tumbling  over 
each  other,  in  constant  commotion,  like  the 
rolling  waves  of  the  sea  in  a  heavy  storm.  This 
was  accompanied  with  aw^ful  groans,  weeping 


REV.    SAMUEL   IIUBER.  235 

and  wailins:  beyond  human  conception,  and 
charging  of  each  other  with  their  own  damna- 
tion. 

On  the  other  side,  I  saw  a  narrow  way,  as- 
cending upwards  still  higher  and  higher,  lead- 
ing into  a  large  city.  People  were  walking  in 
it  in  companies  of  two,  side  by  side,  and  others 
single.  Some  had  just  got  on  the  road.  All 
were  moving  upwards.  I  saw  one  entering  into 
the  city,  which  w^as  heaven,  clear  and  shining, 
like  a  looking-glass  when  exposed  to  the  sun. 
There  were  millions  of  happy  spirits  in  large 
companies  together  in  that  place.  I  saw  some 
there  whom  I  knew  in  this  world,  before  they 
left  it.  They  had  been  very  pious  here,  espe- 
cially one  old  pious  mother  Mary  B. ,  who 

had  often  encouraged  me,  when  I  first  set  out 
to  serve  the  Lord.  They  all  appeared  to  be  in 
a  state  of  indescribable  happiness. 

After  beholding  these  scenes  for  some  time, 
one  said  to  me,  "  i^ow,  you  know  where  to  call 
men  from,  and  where  to  direct  them  to.  Go 
and  exhort  your  fellow-men."  When  I  recov- 
ered out  of  this  state  of  vision,  I  hardly  knew 
whether  I  was  in  the  body  or  out  of  it.  My 
feelings  at  the  time,  I  cannot  describe.  I  want- 
ed to  be  by  myself.     I  lost  my  appetite  and  could 


236  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

not  sleep  at  night.  My  brother  David  slept 
with  me  then.  I  heard  him  say  to  father,  "  I 
don't  believe  Daniel  sleeps  much.  He  is  rest- 
less and  moans  much  all  night."  My  pillow 
was  often  wet  from  my  tears.  That  summer,  I 
was  afflicted  with  the  dyspepsy.  My  father 
thought  I  would  not  live  out  the  summer.  Af- 
ter some  doctoring,  I  recovered. 

On  l^ew  Years'  day,  1830,  a  quarterly  meet- 
ing was  held  fifteen  miles  from  our  house,  at  a 
place  called  the  Karrow  Passage  Creek.  Bore- 
ing  was  there.  At  the  time  of  our  former  con- 
versation, he  had  said,  that  if  I  felt  like  exhort- 
ing at  any  meeting  where  he  was,  I  should  tell 
him  so.  At  this  meeting,  I  told  him  I  felt  as 
though  I  ought  to  exhort  now.  At  his  request, 
I  delivered  an  exhortation  for  the  first  time  in 
my  life.  While  I  was  speaking,  though  with 
much  fear  and  trembling,  I  felt  the  ]DOwer  of 
God  in  my  soul,  which  encouraged  me  to  per- 
severe. At  this  quarterly  conference,  January 
2nd,  I  was  licensed  as  an  exhorter  in  the  Church 
of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ.  I  went  home 
rejoicing  on  my  way,  exclaiming  with  the  poet, 

"Jesus  all  the  day  long,  is  my  joy  and  my  song, 
0  that  all  his  salvation  might  see." 

In  this  frame  of  mind  I  continued  until  the 


REV.  SAMUEL    HUBER.  237 

year  1832,  when  Satan  one  day  made  another 
attack  upon  me,  by  insinuating  that  all  my 
former  calls  and  visions  were  delusive ;  that  I 
was  altogether  deceived  by  them.  This  caused 
a  cloud  to  come  over  my  mind.  I  went  on  my 
knees  to  pray,  I  know  not  how  often  that  day. 
Still  I  did  not  obtain  the  victory  then.  This 
trial  of  my  faith  lasted  during  the  winter. 
"When  I  would  go  out  into  the  fields — woods — 
barn,  &c.,  it  was  suggested,  "  You  had  better 
put  an  end  to  your  troubles,  by  taking  your 
life,"  &c.  In  this  way  I  was  bufii^eted  by  the 
tempter  for  many  months. 

There  was  one  place,  on  a  high  hill  in  a  field, 
to  which  I  used  to  resort  to  read  and  pray. 
There  stood  there  a  young  thriving  Mulberry 
tree,  and  a  Locust  stump  under  it,  on  which  I 
sat  and  read.  In  this  way  I  continued  to  be 
exercised,  sometimes  happy,  and  then  again 
doubting  my  call  to  warn  sinners.  One  Sunday 
morning,  in  1833,  I  was  very  much  troubled 
concerning  my  call,  and  reflected  over  the  past, 
what  I  had  seen — heard,  and  experienced  ;  and 
casting  my  mind  around  me  and  beholding  how 
many  unconverted  sinners  w^ere  going  down 
the  broad  road  into  the  lake  of  fire,  my  heart 
was  moved  afresh  and  drawn  out  in  their  behalf 


238  AUTOBtOGRAPHY   OF 

more  than  ever  before.  With  sncli  feeliiiirR,  I 
went  up  to  the  hill  before  mentioned,  and 
kneeled  under  the  Mulberry  tree,  holding  the 
Bible  in  my  right  hand,  and  the  hymn  book  in 
my  left.  With  both  arms  extended  towards 
heaven,  I  prayed,  saying :  "  0  Lord !  thou 
knowest  I  want  to  submit  to  thy  will.  If  it  is 
thy  will,  that  I  should  preach  the  gospel,  I 
humbly  beseech  thee  to  give  me  a  sign  to  that 
effect  by  means  of  this  Mulberry  tree.  If  it 
dies,  I  will  go  and  preach.  If  it  continues  to 
live  and  thrive,  this  will  be  a  sign  to  me  that 
I  shall  not  preach." 

In  two  weeks  from  that  day,  I  attended  a 
meeting  at  the  school  house.  On  my  return  to- 
wards home,  I  went  to  the  Mulberry  tree  to  pray 
as  usual.  When  I  came  to  it,  to  my  utter  as- 
tonishment, the  tree  was  dead.  The  leaves  were 
dr}^,  so  that  I  could  crumble  them  into  small 
particles  with  my  hand.  Oh!  it  is  impossible 
for  me  to  describe  the  feelings  I  then  had  ! 
When  I  saw  the  tree  in  that  state,  I  went  home. 
My  mother  stood  in  the  front  door  as  I  passed 
it.  IsToticing  that  I  had  been  weeping,  she  ask- 
ed me  to  come  into  the  house  and  eat.  I  said 
I  am  not  hungry.  I  went  to  the  barn.  My 
father  came  to  me  and  enquired,  what  ailed  me. 


REV.    SAMUEL  HUBER.  239 

I  related  to  him  my  experience,  exercises  of 
mind,  &c.  We  both  wept.  Father  said,  "If 
you  feel  it  to  be  your  duty  to  preach  the  gospel, 
I  will  not  stand  in  your  way,  and  will  give  you 
a  borse  whenever  you  feel  disposed  to  go." 

Some  time  after  this,  T  went  with  brother 
Joseph  M.  Hershey  on  the  south  branch  Cir- 
cuit and  delivered  exhortations.  In  the  spring 
of  1834,  at  an  Annual  Conference  held  in 
Green  castle,  Franklin  county.  Pa.,  without  any 
request  from  me,  1  received  license,  bearing 
date  April  10th,  1834,  to  preach  the  gospel. 
My  first  appointment  was  on  the  Lebanon  and 
Lancaster  Circuit.  I  traveled  as  an  itinerant, 
on  different  Circuits,  for  six  years.  During  my 
last  year's  labors,  I  preached  forty  three  ser- 
mons in  four  weeks.  I  have  the  consolation, 
to  believe,  that  it  was  not  all  in  vain.  I  know 
some  persons,  in  whose  conversion  I  was  made 
instrumental,  and  although  I  have  left  the 
traveling  connection,  I  still  preach  in  a  local 
capacity.  I  located  in  consequence  of  indispo- 
sition of  body.  My  health  is  not  sufficient  to 
allow  me  to  travel.  Since  my  location  as  a 
minister,  I  have  preached  over  one  hundred 

times  in  a  year. 

I  will  here  relate  some  matters  and  things, 


240  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

which  occurred  at  a  camp  meeting,  held  on 
Jacob  Hous'  land  in  Virginia,  August  28, 1828. 
I  was  there  at  the  time.  Fathers  Newcomer, 
and  Guething,  and  brothers  "W.  Brown,  W. 
Rinehart,  with  some  other  preachers,  attended 
it.  ITewcomer  preached  on  Sunday  morning  to 
a  large  congregation.  When  speaking,  he  wept 
like  a  mother  over  the  corpse  of  her  darling 
child.  His  words  were  atteifded  with  unusual 
power.  Guething  followed  with  exhortation. 
Newcomer  requested  brother  Brown  to  preach  in 
the  afternoon.  Brown  hesitated,  saying  that  he 
felt  himself  too  unworthy.  Newcomer  said  to 
him,  "  Take  up  the  cross.  "We  will  pray  for 
you." 

When  Brown  had  read  his  text  and  commen- 
ced to  preach.  Newcomer  prostrated  himself 
upon  his  knees  behind  Brown  on  the  stand,  and 
with  uplifted  hands,  prayed  to  God,  for  Christ's 
sake,  to  bless  brother  Brown,  and  enable  him 
to  preach.  The  congregation,  seeing  Newcomer 
in  that  attitude,  were  melted  into  tears.  At  the 
same  time,  I  heard  a  roaring  like  wind  above 
me  among  the  trees.  I  looked  up,  but  saw  no 
appearance  of  wind.  Suddenly,  something 
came  over  the  people,  like  a  whirlwind.  They 
fell  over  from  their  seats  in  the  altar  and  out 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  241 

side  of  it.  The  cries  of  mourners,  struck  by 
the  power  of  God,  became  so  great,  that 
Brown's  voice  could  not  be  heard.  Singing — 
praying — and  many  conversions  took  place. 
Newcomer,  in  his  Journal,  p.  319,  says,  *'  We 
bad  a  powerful  time  at  this  meeting.  Bless 
the  Lord." 

I  have  had  some  hard  trials  from  my  uncon- 
verted comrades;  but  I  could  freely  forgive  them 
all.  For  they  knew  not  what  they  did.  My 
greatest  trials,  however,  came  from  those  who 
pretended  to  be  brethren  in  a  Christian  Church, 
I  pray  the  Lord  not  to  deal  with  them  as  they 
have  dealt  with  me.  Times  were  formerly  very 
different  from  what  they  are  now.  The  old 
fathers  kept  the  Church  out  of  the  world.  But 
since  they  have  fallen  asleep,  the  world  has 
crept  into  the  Church.  I  was  accused  once  by 
a  brother  preacher  as  being  out  of  place,  for 
preaching  againt  professors  of  religion  follow- 
ing the  pride  and  foolish  fashions  of  the  w^orld. 
He  said  to  me,  the  "  pulpit  was  not  the  place 
in  which  to  say  any  thing  about  pride." 


FURTHER   PARTICULARS. 

During  a  time  when  I  was  preaching  in  the 
woods  where  Salem  church  now  stands,  froniEc- 
clesiastes  11 : 3,  latter  clause,  *'And  if  the  tree  fall 


242  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

towards  the  south,  or  towards  the  north,  in  the 
place  where  the  tree  falleth,  there  it  shall  be/' 
P.  Miller,  one  of  my  hearers,  jumped  up  from 
his  seat  and  walked  away.  Reflecting  over  the 
text,  he  became  deeply  convicted,  and  after  a 
while  returned  to  his  seat.  His  wife  also  s^ot 
convicted  at  the  same  time  from  the  same 
words.  I^ext  day  they  sent  for  me  to  come  to 
their  house.  When  I  came  there,  Mrs.  Miller 
was  lying  in  bed  in  great  distress  of  soul.  I 
asked  her,  "What  is  the  matter  with  you?" 
She  replied,  "  Your  preaching  yesterday  con- 
vinced me  that  I  am  in  a  lost  condition,  under 
condemnation."  I  said,  "  It  is  right  and  good, 
that  you  should  see  and  feel  your  lost  state," 
and  encouraged  her  to  pray  to  God.  I  then 
sung  and  prayed  with  her  and  left. 

The  next  evening,  in  company  with  another 
brother,  we  visited  her  again,  and  whilst  engag- 
ed in  singing  and  prayer,  she  was  blessed  and 
made  happy.  Her  husband  had  not  yet  obtained 
religion,  and  had  some  doubts  respecting  his 
wife's  conversion;  but  shortly  afterwards,  be- 
came satisfied,  that  she  was  a  true  convert,  and 
requested  me  to  preach  in  his  house,  not  far  from 
Greenvillage.  An  appointment  was  made  ac- 
cordingly. 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  243 

]^ow,  Miller  was  one  of  those  kind  of  men, 
who  are  always  full  of  fun,  taking  pleasure  in 
playing  tricks  and  raising  a  laugh  at  the  expense 
of  other  persons,  on  every  opportunity.  At 
one  time,  old  Mr.  Spahr,  father  of  Caspar  Spahr, 
with  other  persons,  were  collected  in  front  of 
Mr.  Jacob  Snyder's  tavern  in  Chambersburg. 
At  that  time  the  street^  had  not  been  piked. 
There  was  a  large  mud  hole  filled  with  water  in 
front  of  the  door.  Miller  mounted  his  horse  in 
order  to  ride  oif,  and  reached  out  his  hand  and 
took  hold  of  Spahr's  hand,  who  was  standing 
near  to  bid  farewell.  While  in  the  act  of  doing 
this.  Miller's  horse,  either  through  a  wilful  mo- 
tion of  its  rider,  or  from  some  other  cause,  made 
a  sudden  spring,  and  Miller  pulled  Spahr  into 
the  mud  hole,  causing  him  to  fall  flat  on  his 
face.  He  then  rode  off,  laughing  in  great  glee. 
The  next  time  they  met  at  the  tavern,  Miller 
had  to  treat  Spahr  to  a  horn,  which  put  all  to 
rights  again. 

Miller,  being  a  character  of  this  sort,  it  was 
looked  upon  by  the  people  as  a  wonderful  thing, 
that  such  a  man  of  fun  and  tricks,  should  have 
religious  meetings  in  his  house.  So  when  I 
came  to  fill  the  appointment,  there  was  an  over- 
flowing gathering  of  people,  and  great  were  the 


244  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

wonders  as  to  what  was  to  be  done.  I  preached 
as  usual.  Under  this  sermon,  several  of  Mrs.  Mil- 
ler's sons  by  her  first  husband,  who  were  now 
grown  up  and  married,  got  under  conviction. 
I  then  continued  to  preach  there  at  regular  in- 
tervals. During  these  meetings  two  of  Mrs. 
Miller's  sons,  with  their  wives,  were  converted, 
and  the  work  spread  throughout  the  neighbor- 
hood. 

C.  Miller,  son  of  old  P.  Miller,  had  meeting 
in  his  house.  One  Sunday  I  went  there  to 
preach.  During  preaching,  a  grand  daughter 
of  P.  Miller  began  to  cry  out  for  mercy,  and 
was  blessed.  Six  other  persons  remained  on 
their  knees  in  prayer.  The  former  shouted 
victory,  the  latter  cried  aloud  for  mercy,  which 
created  not  a  little  stir  in  the  house  and,  as 
C.  Miller  had  not  yet  been  fully  initiated  into 
such  things,  he  took  umbrage  at  them,  and 
refused  to  have  futher  meetings  in  his  house 
for  some  time  after  this.  But,  upon  more  ma- 
ture reflection  on  the  subject,  and  being  con- 
vinced that  his  wife  had  obtained  religion,  he 
got  into  great  distress  of  soul,  in  consequence 
of  his  conduct  in  stopping  the  meetings.  He 
began  to  pray  day  and  night.  It  appeared,  as 
if  he  had  had  a  hard  conflict  with  the   devil. 


/ 

REV.    SAMUEL   IIUBER.  245 

For  one  Sunday,  being  in  great  agony,  he  was 
walking  about  his  farm  with  a  large  stick  in  his 
hand,  striking  the  fence  with  it;  then  again, 
with  rapid  motions,  cutting  it  through  the  air 
and  whirling:  it  over  his  head  in  all  directions 
as  if  striking  at  an  object.  Some  lookers  on 
said,  he  was  fighting  with  the  devil.  In  this 
way  he  went  on  for  some  length  of  time,  until 
finding  that  this  kind  of  carnal  weapon  warfare, 
did  not  bring  peace  to  his  soul,  he  threw  him- 
self into  a  fence-corner,  groaning  in  spirit  and 
lay  there  until  he  got  the  victory.  After  this, 
outward  religious  demonstrations  did  not  dis- 
turb him.  He  became  a  pious  and  useful  mem- 
ber in  the  Church,  and  is  now  living  in  Rich- 
land county,  Ohio,  near  Mansfield. 

RIBS  BROKE. 

On  one  occasion,  I  Tas  riding  in  company 
w^ith  Christian  Huber,  towards  Waynesboro', 
Franklin  county,  Pa.  On  the  road,  about  eight 
miles  from  Chambersburg,  we  stopped  at  Mr. 
Jacob  Whitmore's  house.  "When  I  had  dis- 
mounted from  my  horse,  C.  Huber  said  to  me, 
"  The  shoe  on  your  horse's  hind  foot  is  loose." 
The  shoe  was  hanging  with  one  nail  only.  I 
lifted  the  horse's  foot,  intending  to  take  off  the 
shoe.     At  the  same  time  the  horse  made  a  sud- 


246  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    QP 

den  jerk  backwards  and  threw  me  upon  a  sharp 
edged  fence  rail,  which  was  resting  with  one 
end  upon  the  fence,  and  the  other  end  upon  the 
ground.  In  the  fall,  five  of  my  ribs  were  bro- 
ken ;  two  of  them  from  oft'  the  breast  bone  ; 
two  in  the  middle  of  my  side,  and  the  other  one 
about  three  inches  from  my  back  bone.  After 
I  was  helped  to  the  house,  I  drank  a  pint  bowl 
full  of  cold  spring  water,  mixed  with  a  handful 
of  rye  flour.  This  I  did  several  times  before  I 
left.  I  replaced  my  ribs,  and  then  rode  back  to 
Chambersburg,  stopped  with  old  Dr.  A.  Sense- 
ny,  and  told  him  my  situation — intending  to 
tarry  with  him  over  night.  He  said,  "  If  you 
stay  over  night,  you  will  not  be  able  to  get 
home  for  five  or  six  weeks.  You  had  better  go 
home  as  fast  as  possible."  He  gave  me  a  few 
rolls  of  Oxecrocium. 

AVhen  I  arrived  at  home,  the  parts  injured  be- 
came more  sore.  I  coukl  scarcely  draw  my  breath, 
and  with  great  diflicnlty  dismounted  from  my 
horse.  After  entering  the  house,  I  found  that 
my  five  ribs  were  all  out  of  place.  I  set  them 
to  rights  again,  and  applied  large  warm  plasters 
of  the  Oxecrocium  to  my  side,  breast  and  back. 
During  the  night  I  took  several  more  drinks  of 
water  and  rye  flour.    The  next  morning  brother 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBER.  247 

David  Oaks  came  to  see  me,  and  said,  "Dr. 
Fahuestock  rec[uested  him  to  inform  me,  that 
unless  I  was  bled  an  inflammation  would  take 
placein  my  body."  I  replied,  ''  I  don't  want  the 
Doctors  to  take  the  blood  from  out  of  my  body. 
I  need  all  my  strength  of  body  to  enable  me  to 
sit  in  a  chair.  For  I  cannot  lay  down  in  a  bed  ;" 
and  added,  "I  have  no  fears  about  mortification 
taking  place.  The  water  and  rye  flour  I  took 
will  prevent  that,  as  it  causes  the  blood  to  flow 
through  the  urine."  This  remedy  I  learned 
from  a  physician  in  my  young  days.  It  has 
often  proven  eftectual  in  similar  cases,  in  which 
persons  have  been  injured  inwardly  by  falls, 
bruises,  &c.  I  mention  it  merely  to  show  that 
simple  remedies  will  frequently  answer  the  pur- 
pose and  prevent  much  pain  and  afiliction.  It 
was  eleven  weeks  before  I  was  perfectly  cured 
of  the  injury  I  had  sustained.  I  applied  no 
other  remedies  than  those  before  mentioned, 
and  became  strong  and  hearty  as  usual. 

About  three  years  ago,  I  was  bitten  in  the 
hand  by  a  mad  dog,  and  fearing  that  hydropho- 
bia would  ensue,  I  applied  to  Mr.  John  Sense- 
ny,  now  residing  on  ITew  England  Hill,  Cham- 
bersburg.  He  gave  me  a  medicine  which  pre- 
vented any  further  injury.    I  would  recommend 


248  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

persons  under  like  circumstances,  to  apply  to 
him,  as  tie  has  a  certain  cure  for  the  bite  of  a 
mad  dog. 

ABOUT  PREACHERS. 

It  is  frequently  asked  why  preaching  gener- 
ally is  not  now  accompanied  with  the  same  de- 
monstrations of  divine  power,  as  it  was  in  form- 
er days.  Among  other  reasons  for  this,  the  fol- 
lowing may  be  assigned  as  one  : 

In  former  times,  God's  ministers  preached  the 
word  as  it  was  given  to  them  by  inspiration. 
They  trusted  in  God  for  help,  and  his  Spirit 
seconded  their  eftbrts  to  the  conversion  of  souls. 
But  now  preaching  is  done,  in  many  instances, 
through  indoctrinating,  borrowed  and  artificial 
phrases.  Flowers  in  the  distance^  foreign  to  the 
wants  of  the  hearers,  are  employed.  They  give 
them  dry — stale — moral  disquisitions,  frequent- 
ly heterodox^  mixed  together  with  orthodox 
phrases,  the  import  of  which  the  preacher  him- 
self does  not  understand.  Such  preaching  leaves 
no  room  for  God's  Spirit  to  inspire  the  heart. 
The  head  being  filled  with  memorized  abstrac- 
tions from  other  men's  productions,  and  they 
having  no  substance  in  their  own  hearts,  where- 
with to  feed  the  sheep,  and  fearful  of  losing  the 
track,  they  hold  on  in  a  mechanical  way,  heed- 
less whether  it  suits  the  congregation  or  not. 


REV.    SAMUEL   HUBEll.  249 

Thus  such  men  go  on,  until  their  borrowed 
ideas  are  spent,  and  the  people  are  not  profited. 
And  often  when  another  preacher  holds  forth 
through  inspiration^  accompanied  with  divine 
power  to  the  hearts  of  the  congregation,  these 
mechanical  divines  become  jealous  of  their  own 
fancied  glory.  They  try  to  traduce — keep  back 
— put  down — crush — and  annihilate^  if  possible, 
the  more  useful  instrument,  and  by  all  such, 
and  other  means,  they  obstruct  the  cause  of 
God.  Pride  and  self  esteem  are  the  ruling 
principles  in  their  hearts.  The  Spirit  of  God 
is  not  in  them.  He  does  not  work  through 
them.  They  are  not  called  of  God  to  the  work 
to  which  they  have  aspired.  The  old  and  pres- 
ent true  gospel  preachers  obtained  their  creden- 
tials for  the  ministry  through  gospel  religion. 
But  now,  in  this  present  day  of  refinement, 
some  aspirants  to  clerical  orders  have  crept  into 
a  clerical  coat  through  the  mere  cabbaging  of 
other  men's  ideas.  Such  exist  upon  borrowed 
capital,  having  no  ballast  of  their  own  to  keep 
them  afloat ;  for  which  reason  also  they  become 
mere  drones  in  the  Church.  All  true  divines 
preached  and  still  preach  for  the  benefit  of  souls. 
That  was  and  is  their  sole  object  and  aim.  But 
now,  preaching  is  followed  by  many  as  a  busi- 
17 


250  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

ness,  by  means  of  which  to  procure  a  livelihood, 
while,  at  the  same  time,  souls  are  perishing 
under  their  unconverted  ministrations.  These 
are  some  of  the  prevailing  causes,  why  preach- 
ing, in  many  cases,  is  not  accompanied  with  the 
same  power  as  it  formerly  was. 

I  do  not  wish  to  be  understood  to  intimate, 
that  there  are  no  real  gospel  preachers  in  the 
present  day.  I  know  there  are  some,  who  are 
called  of  God  to  the  work,  and  are  preaching  in 
the  good  old  way  with  success.  They  are  doing 
much  good,  and  it  is  through  them,  that  the 
spirit  of  true  religion  is  kept  alive  in  the  Church. 
Were  it  not  for  such  men,  piety  would  long 
since  have  died  out,  and  the  Church  become  a 
mere  form,  without  the  power.  I  would  most 
sincerely  exhort  all  true  ministers  and  brethren 
in  the  gospel,  of  every  denomination,  to  hold 
fast  to  the  old  "landmarks,"  and  not  to  diverge 
from  them  one  inch,  notwithstanding  the  oppo- 
sition that  may  be  waged  against  them  by  the 
would-be  new  light  aspirants  to  the  gospel  min- 
istry. 

At  a  meeting  held  near  my  residence  on  one 
occasion,  brother  Newcomer  preached  in  Ger- 
man, at  10  o'clock,  A.  M.  After  he  had  closed, 
brother  Jefferson,  a  Methodist  preacher,  follow- 


rev:   SAMUEL   HUBER.  251 

ed  in  English.  In  his  discourse,  he  related  a 
circumstance  worthy  of  record.  He  said,  "  that 
in  the  State  of  J^ew  York,  at  one  time,  there 
was  a  certain  man  nearly  one  hundred  years  of 
age,  who  desired  his  descendants  to  assemble 
with  him  on  the  very  day  he  would  become  one 
hundred  years  old.  For  this  purpose,  he  sum- 
moned them  to  meet  him  at  a  certain  place,  at 
that  time. 

Accordingly,  his  children,  grand  children, 
great  grand  children,  and  other  relatives,  com- 
posing no  small  number,  met  him  as  desired. 
They  all  went  with  him  to  a  field,  where  there 
was  a  very  large  tree  standing.  He  requested 
them  to  stand  under  its  branches,  and  then, 
with  an  axe  in  hand,  approached  the  tree,  say- 
ing, '  that  he  was  going  to  chop  it  down,  so  that 
his  descendants  could  say  in  after  times,  that 
their  father  had  felled  a  large  tree  on  the  very 
day  he  became  one  hundred  years  of  age.' — 
At  the  instant  in  which  he  raised  the  axe,  in 
order  to  make  the  first  cut  in  the  tree,  the  fol- 
lowing words  were  impressed  upon  his  mind 
with  great  force,  viz :  ^'  But  the  sinner  being 
an  hundred  years  old  shall  be  accursed.'  He 
made  a  sudden  pause,  and  asked  the  bystand- 
ers, '  Whether  such  words  were  to  be  found  in 


252  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  'OF 

the  Bible  ?'  at  the  same  time  repeating  them. 
He  was  told  that  the  words  were  written  in  the 
Bible,  Isaiah  65  :  20,  latter  clause.  Upon  re- 
ceiving this  information,  the  old  transgressor 
dropped  his  axe,  and  falling  upon  his  knees 
under  the  tree,  began  to  pray,  crying  aloud  for 
mercy. 

Seeing  their  aged  progenitor  in  this  situation 
his  descendants  became  deeply  affected,  and 
some  of  them  knelt  in  prayer  with  him.  After 
some  time  spent  in  this  way,  the  old  man  got 
religion,  under  the  same  tree  which  he  had  in- 
tended to  chop  down,  on  his  one  hundreth  birth 
day.  But  inasmuch  as  he  was  cut  down  him- 
self, and  raised  up  again,  his  descendants  and 
relatives  left  the  tree  standing  as  a  memento  to 
future  generations,  that  their  ancestor  was  con- 
verted under  it  on  that  self  same  day.  This 
circumstance  being  of  such  an  extraordinary 
nature,  produced  a  deep  religious  excitement, 
principally  among  old  sinners,  so  that  a  great 
revival  of  religion  took  place,  and  many  old  and 
young  converts  were  made,  and  added  to  the 
Church  of  God." 


REV.    SAMUEL   HITBER.  253 

CONCLUSION. 

On  this  first  day  of  March,  1858,  lam  seventy- 
six  years  and  one  month  old.  About  forty  odd 
years  of  this  time,  I  have  endeavored,  in  my 
weak  manner,  to  preach  the  Gospel,  as  recorded 
in  part  in  the  foregoing  pages.  During  twelve 
years  of  this  period  I  acted  as  Presiding  Elder. 
By  my  first  wife  I  had  two  children,  as  stated 
in  Chapter  XV.  On  the  27th  of  October,  1857. 
I  was  married  the  second  time,  by  the  Rev. 
Daniel  Funkhouser,  to  Mrs.  Susannah  Grove, 
widow  of  Mr.  Abraham  Grove,  deceased. 

During  my  pilgrimage  thus  far,  I  have  met 
with  much  opposition  in  my  religious  course  ; 
at  the  same  time,  however,  there  have  not  been 
wanting  true  brethren  and  friends,  whose  kind- 
ness and  sympathies  cheered  me  on  the  way; 
for  all  of  which  also  I  feel  truly  grateful.  Still, 
some  of  my  good  brethren  in  the  ministry,  it 
appeared,  had  more  sympathy  for  me  than  others, 
which  was  evident  from  expressions  openly 
made,  some  years  ago,  in  the  Chambersburg 
Annual  Conference,  by  a  good  brother  who 
wished  me  in  heaven  before  the  good  Lord 
thought  proper  to  take  me  there,  l^o  doubt, 
the  wish  was  well  meant.  But  it  seemed  as  if 
the  brother  was  very  anxious  to  get  the  old  local 


254  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

preacher,  "  Hiiber,"  out  of  the  way,  or  out  of  the 
Conference.  At  another  time,  like  expres- 
sions, in  regard  to  myself,  were  made  by  a 
brother  preacher  at  Orrstown  camp  meeting ; 
and  how  more  frequently  it  has  been  done,  I 
am  unable  to  state.  So  far,  however,  the 
strengthening  grace  of  God  has  been  my  sup- 
port through  all  my  trials,  and  through  the  same 
grace,  I  still  feel  myself  bound  for  the  kingdom 
of  God  above. 

THE  END. 


jQl    C  j5L  I=L  13  - 

The   subscriber  is  now  publishing  an   entirely 
new  and  original  work,  entitled 

A    COLLECTION    OF 

REMINISCENCES NARRATIVES— SKETCHES— INCIDENTS 

— ^ANECDOTES — RELIGIOUS   EXPERIENCES — RE- 
MARKABLE  CIRCUMSTANCES;' 

TOaETHER  WITH 

BROAD  HINTS  AND  CUTS  UPON  VARIOUS  SUBJECTS,  RELIGIOUS 
AND  MORAL,  &c. 


There  are  many  circumstances  in  life,  which 
would  be  deeply  interesting  both  to  the  present  and 
future  age,  if  such  were  preserved  in  book  form, 
and,  by  this  means,  handed  down  to  posterity. 
They  would  thus  become  useful  to  descendants  by 
way  of  reference  and  otherwise.  There  are  but 
fcAV  persons,  in  whose  life  there  are  not  some  inci- 
dents worthy  of  record.  But  then,  in  many 
cases,  there  would  not  be  sufficient  matter,  of 
j)eculiar  incidents,  to  fill  out  a  book.  For  this 
reason,  numberless  interesting  circumstances  arc 
forgotten.  In  order  then  to  afford  an  opportuni- 
ty for  such  records,  we  have  now  in  progress  a 


256 

work  for  that  purpose.  Persons  wishing  to  have 
their  religious  experience,  or  other  moral  circum- 
stances in  their  lives  puhlished  in  this  way,  can 
have  it  done  free  of  charge,  or  in  some  cases,  at  a 
trifling  expense,  if  communicated  either  verbally  or 
in  writing.  If  the  communication  be  by  writing, 
it  will  be  necessary  only  to  state  the  facts  in  the 
case,  and  they  will  be  carried  out  by  the  publish- 
er. No  IMMORAL,  ANONYMOUS  or  FICTITIOUS  pro- 
ductions, however,  will  meet  with  attention. 
Nothing  unfit  for  the  chaste  reader  will  be  admit- 
ted. In  all  cases  the  author's  name  must  accom- 
pany the  production,  although  he  can  appear  under 
a  fictitious  name  in  the  work,  if  desired.  The  pub- 
lisher reserves  the  privilege  to  reject  or  publish  any 
matter  furnished,  as  he  may  judge  proper. 
Eespectfully, 

JOHN  DENIG. 

Address  John  Denig,  care  of  J.  E.  Kirby,  Cham- 
bersburg,  Franklin  county,  Pa. 


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